A User-friendly Interface for a Lightweight Verification System

  • Authors:
  • Andrei Lapets;Assaf Kfoury

  • Affiliations:
  • Computer Science Department Boston University Boston, USA;Computer Science Department Boston University Boston, USA

  • Venue:
  • Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science (ENTCS)
  • Year:
  • 2012

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

User-friendly interfaces can play an important role in bringing the benefits of a machine-readable representation of formal arguments to a wider audience. The aartifact system is an easy-to-use lightweight verifier for formal arguments that involve logical and algebraic manipulations of common mathematical concepts. The system provides validation capabilities by utilizing a database of propositions governing common mathematical concepts. The aartifact system@?s multi-faceted interactive user interface combines several approaches to user-friendly interface design: (1) a familiar and natural syntax based on existing conventions in mathematical practice, (2) a real-time keyword-based lookup mechanism for interactive, context-sensitive discovery of the syntactic idioms and semantic concepts found in the system@?s database of propositions, and (3) immediate validation feedback in the form of reformatted raw input. The system@?s natural syntax and database of propositions allow it to meet a user@?s expectations in the formal reasoning scenarios for which it is intended. The real-time keyword-based lookup mechanism and validation feedback allow the system to teach the user about its capabilities and limitations in an immediate, interactive, and context-aware manner.