Evolving the browser towards a standard user interface architecture

If current trends continue, it is likelythat the web browser will become the only widely used user interface. Web applications will become the predominant software. Should this happen, user interface design, implementation and evaluation skills can become more focussed and effective. Some of the benefits current browser user interfaces provide are discussed in the context of web application tools produced by the author and supported by examples. The software architecture of the Web brings special HCI demands, and the user design experts of the future will require training in this architecture. This evolution is scrutinised in terms of the new web services that will become available. Recent trends in this direction are presented, and future trends explored, with supporting evidence taken from a range of applications. The influence of the Web, with now a long history of user experience, can bring benefits to user interface design in the future, t