Should interfaces be built according to interaction design patterns? They already are. For example, many email users are exposed to the two-panel selector pattern. Windows exposes users to the continuous filter pattern when searching directories. As the authors reveal, however, interfaces are not yet automatically generated from designs specified using patterns. This paper is a brief guide to patterns, referencing three major collections: Tidwell’s, Yahoo!’s, and van Welie’s.

Important terminologies and concepts are all clearly defined and discussed. For example, a pattern language is said to be a complete, domain-specific collection of patterns that allows solutions to be articulated as high-level patterns that are solved by low-level patterns. The importance of an organizing principle is made clear primarily through Figure 2, which shows how patterns for business goals ultimately lead to patterns at the task (for example, shopping carts) and action level (for example, logins). The section on design tools describes a few proof-of-concept tools that have been capable of generating interfaces in a semi-automatic way using patterns. The best of these is probably DAMASK. The penultimate section clarifies the weaknesses in current approaches attempting to standardize pattern form.

The authors conclude that a unification and standardization must take place across the different ways in which patterns are described and organized if their full potential is to be realized. No reader can argue with that.

Though this paper presents a brief guide only, it is recommended to all professionals wishing to update their knowledge of where the field of human-computer interaction could be headed.