Design reuse through frameworks and patterns

In large service organizations such as banks and insurance companies, the role of application software has changed tremendously, considering the evolution from data input terminals to today's multimedia information and consulting instruments. Banks, for example, must offer their customers a broad range of services, from investment consulting to travellers checks. This places great demands on the usability of information systems, for instance, adaptability to task requirements, short response times, and ability to learn. Because of the trend for banks to offer all-in-one services at all branches, standard software solutions are increasingly in demand. However, as standardization increases, users increasingly demand individual workstation adaptations to meet their specific needs. Frameworks and design patterns are an answer to this and to similar, in principle mutually exclusive, standardization and flexibility requirements. From the perspective of human-computer interaction, this article focuses not only on the numerous advantages of using frameworks in design reuse but also on the problems and obstacles that can arise.