Pleuss et al. introduce a model-driven approach that allows modifications to be propagated through families of user interfaces (UIs) without the loss of manual customizations previously applied to individual family members. The approach is demonstrated by application to 30 different real-world customizations of the user interface of a commercial information system running at 30 German universities.

The concept of UI families draws on prior work on model-based UI development (MBUID) and software product line engineering (SPLE), allowing variation to be both functional, as with SPLE, and based on context of use, as with MBUID.

The paper is likely to appeal to anyone with an interest in the practical application of model-driven concepts to software systems where customization of the user interface involves functional as well as presentational aspects.