Meridian: A Design Framework for Malleable Overview-Detail Interfaces

Overview-detail interfaces (ODIs), which present an overview of multiple items alongside a detailed view of a selected item, are ubiquitously implemented in software interfaces. However, the current design and development pipeline lacks the infrastructure to easily support end-user customization, limiting its ability to support diverse information needs. This research envisions a development cycle for building malleable interfaces—one where designers, developers, and end-users alike can create, modify, and use the interface equally. To establish a foundation for this infrastructure, we introduce Meridian, a design framework for guiding and facilitating the creation of malleable ODIs. The framework consists of a high-level declarative specification language for ODIs as well as its tools, including a UI development package and a no-code web builder to facilitate the development and design of malleable ODIs. We demonstrate how Meridian supports designers, developers, and end-users alike in designing, implementing, and interacting with ODIs in novel ways using their respective familiar tools and platforms. Finally, we discuss technical tradeoffs, potential solutions, and opportunities for enabling interface malleability by default.