A wizard is an interactive computer program acting as an interface to lead a user through a complex task using dialog steps.

This very general definition does not attempt to distinguish a wizard from an expert system. This distinction is not clear in the programing vocabulary. Usually, a wizard searches a database for criteria entered by the user. A web search engine is the most common type of simple wizard. Online airline ticket booking is more complex form of wizard software.

In contrast to Wizards, Expert Systems guide the user through a series of questions, usually with a yes or no answer. Expert Systems are built around algorithms or rules rather than databases. Unfortunately, this distinction is not universal. For example, small rule-based program to assist the installation of network connections or computer peripherals in Microsoft Windows are called Wizards. Some consider Expert System as a general term that include all problem-solving programs, including Wizards and rule-based programs.

Wizards were very controversial amongst user interface designers when they were introduced, because they encourage modal windows, which were considered antithetical to proper human interface design. However, supporters of Microsoft, the leading adopter of wizards, argued that compliance with what they considered arbitrary laws should be secondary to ease of use in user interface design.

See also

• Agent
• expert system
• problem solving
• artificial intelligence
• Assistant
• wxWidgets
• Wizard (Oz)
• Software development

External links

• Citations from CiteSeer (http://citeseer.org/cs?q=wizard)
• Wizard of Oz Studies - Why and How (http://www.ronaldbieber.de/Publications/Old/ProSemimar_IntelligentUI/Wizard/) (German)
• wxWizard (http://wxwidgets.org/manuals/2.5.1/wx_wxwizard.html)
• The Wizard's Apprentice (http://wizapp.sourceforge.net/)
• uic.widgets.UICWizard (http://uic.sourceforge.net/api/uic/widgets/UICWizard.html)
• Package com.borland.primetime.wizard (http://info.borland.com/techpubs/jbuilder/jbuilder8/opentools/ref/OpenToolsAPI/com/borland/primetime/wizard/package-summary.html)
• QWizard Class Reference (http://doc.trolltech.com/3.3/qwizard.html)
• Microsoft
  • User Interface Wizard Behavior (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msi/setup/user_interface_wizard_behavior.asp)
  • FrontPage SDK - User Interface (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/fp2ksdk/html/userinterface.asp)
  • Backward Compatible Wizard 97 (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/wizard/bwcwizv4_7pnv.asp)
• iSeries Navigator Guidelines (http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/navigator/guidelines/wizards.html)
• Eclipse User Interface Guidelines (http://www.eclipse.org/articles/Article-UI-Guidelines/Contents.html#Wizards)
• How can I create a wizard style dialog? (http://www.pocketpcdn.com/articles/wizarddlg.html)
• Wizard Objects - easy control of dialog flow (http://users.tpg.com.au/adsluwfl/vpstudio/wizard_dialog.htm)
• Actipro Wizard (http://actiprosoftware.com/Products/DotNet/Wizard/Default.aspx)
• Links to online wizards and expert systems, from Dermwiz.com (http://www.cogniwiz.com/dermwiz/links.htm)