Model transformation rules for customization of multi-device graphical user interfaces

In the context of model-driven generation of (graphical) user interfaces, systematic customization of automatically determined results is a challenge. While it may seem obvious that certain customizations can be expressed as specific transformation rules, adding such rules usually requires adaptation of existing rules and may lead to an unmanageable rule set. In this paper, we propose a new approach for managing model transformation rules for customization of graphical user interfaces in the context of their automated generation. Our approach facilitates managing transformation rules, because already existing rules do not have to be changed or replaced. A trial application provided some empirical evidence of the feasibility of our new approach. It even showed that some customization rules can be reused for generating graphical user interfaces for other devices with different properties, in effect for multi-device generation.