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In April 1976, a working group was formed at the Xerox Palo Alto facility to study the problem of user interface design.. The group was led by Chafles Irby, and included Linda Bergsteinsson, Tom Moran. William Newman and Larry Tesler as its other full-time members. The group met on a weekly basis throughout the spring and summer of~ 976. David Liddle and Butler Lampson attended some of the early meetings.

User interface design is an essential part'of the design of interactive application programs. The user interface encompasses the set of commands by which the user operates the program, the display techniques used to present the state of the program to him, and the more abstract notions involved in learning how to operate the program effectively. Successful user interface design is crucial to the production of useful Office Information Systems.