Download A user interface for SIMPLEXYS Expert Systems

Abstract
During the last seven years a toolbox has been developed for programming real time
expert systems, called SIMPLEXYS. A final step in the development of SIMPLEXYS is
designing a user interface for it. This user interface should resemble a well known
interface, to make also inexperienced users feel comfortable using it.
My assignment was to develop the SIMPLEXYS User Interface and to write a reference
manual and a user manual for it.
Important software engineering techniques are introduced to develop and maintain
successful large software assignments. These techniques show how to divide the
development process into several steps, each influencing the others. The software
engineering techniques emphasize the writing of software documents, that contain the
requirements, the structure diagrams, source code of the developed software and
manuals for it.
To develop the SIMPLEXYS User Interface I used the software engineering techniques.
First the requirements were established, which the interface has to answer. A conptual
model was designed, that illustrates the most important interactions with the user and
the services to be provided. Then a structural diagram of the interface was developed,
presenting the interface design. The implementation was done with use of objectoriented programming language and Borland's Turbo Vision tool.
To write the user manual and reference manual, research was done into 'how to write
good software manuals'.
The SIMPLEXYS User Interface was successfully developed and implemented. The
interface is user friendly, has an extensive help function and the user can easily find
his/her way through the program. Though it has its memory limitations, the SIMPLEXYS User Interface contributes to the ease of developing real time expert systems.
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