View source for Application posture

The term '''application posture''' characterizes the nature of a software application's [[Interactivity|interaction]] with its user.<ref>http://www.ijcte.org/papers/601-A637.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042147/http://www.ijcte.org/papers/601-A637.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }}{{full|date=January 2022}}</ref>
The term was coined by Alan Cooper, who characterized four 'postures' for applications: sovereign, transient, daemonic and parasitic.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cooper |first1=Alan |last2=Cronin |first2=David |last3=Reimann |first3=Robert |title=About Face 3: the essentials of interaction design |date=2007 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-470-08411-3 |oclc=263717431 }}{{pn|date=January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.littlespringsdesign.com/blog/blog/2007/09/07/application-posture/ |title=» application posture :::Little Springs Design::: |website=www.littlespringsdesign.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303083150/http://www.littlespringsdesign.com/blog/blog/2007/09/07/application-posture/ |archive-date=3 March 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

* A '''sovereign application''' is a program that monopolizes the user's [[Philosophy:Attention|attention]] for long periods of time.
* Cooper defined '''transient applications''' thus: 'A transient posture program comes and goes, presenting a single, high-relief function with a tightly restricted set of accompanying controls. The program is called when needed, it appears and performs its job, then it quickly leaves, letting the user continue her more normal activity, usually a sovereign application.'
* '''Daemonic applications''' are background processes that require no direct user interaction.
* '''Parasitic''' or '''Auxiliary applications''' are similar to transient applications in providing a limited, focused set of functionality and occupy a small space, but they are shown persistently and can be used for a long period of time.

== See also ==
* [[Desk accessory]]
* [[Software:Helper application|Helper application]]

===Bibliography===
* ''About Face'' by Cooper, Alan, Reimann, Robert & Cronin, David {{ISBN|978-0-470-08411-3}}, 2007
* {{cite web|url=http://www.sapdesignguild.org/editions/edition3/cooper.asp|title=The Posture of Portals|publisher=sapdesignguild.org|author=Ernest Kinsolving|author2=Jörg Beringer|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite journal|url=http://www.ijcte.org/papers/601-A637.pdf|title=Elements of the Modern Application Software Development|author=O Moravcik|author2=D Petrik|author3=T Skripcak|author4=P Schreiber}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* https://web.archive.org/web/20090303083150/http://www.littlespringsdesign.com/blog/blog/2007/09/07/application-posture/

[[Category:Computing terminology]]
[[Category:User interface techniques]]

{{Sourceattribution|Application posture}}