In the near future there will be an explosion of multi-device ubiquitous web applications. These applications are targeted to
inexpert users, who need friendly high quality applications, delivered at right time and at low costs. Quality and effectiveness of this
class of applications is strongly related to the quality of its design. Thus, the main objective of the UWA project is to define a set of
methodologies, notations, and tools to support the design and fast prototyping of complex, multi-device, ubiquitous web applications.
More specifically, the project will produce an innovative, integrated design environment covering the whole spectrum of design
activities, from requirements to detailed design. The tight coupling of hypermedia design and operation (transaction) design, flexible
and powerful customization of design (taking into account the specific user profile, multi-device and ubiquitous delivery, situation of
use, location and time, etc.), design based upon families of applications with strong ?reuse? of design features (based upon design
patterns), are some of the key innovative aspects.
A set of notations based on "extended" and customized UML will be developed, as long as a set of heuristics and guidelines to help
the developers. A number of design tools will make more efficient the design activity, by producing flexible and exportable design
documentation (with internal representation based upon XML).