Multi-Dimensional User Models for Multi-media I/O in the Maintenance Consultant

The MC (Maintenance Consultant) system helps users to maintain large software systems by providing access to a set of graphical models representing different aspects of the target software system. Users can combine natural language requests with pointing and MC responds either graphically, textually (tables and natural language), or in combination. Users can also ask about how to use various maintenance tools or invoke the tools. These multi-media capabilities depend on a number of user models that track static user information such as the user’s job type, programming expertise, and security access level; the user’s knowledge of different tools and products based on observing the amount and frequency of usage; the user’s current task based on a process model for software maintenance; and the shared conversational and visual context.