The authors elaborate on the definition and usage of a hypermedia model based on statecharts (HMBS). They introduce a logical structure of hypermedia applications that is based on a formal definition of statechart structures.

A single hypermedia application can appear to a user in different ways that depend on that user’s choice. By selecting a link, the user might navigate through a hierarchical structure. Navigation specifications are part of the HMBS. For instance, a browser might allow the user to change the number of levels displayed at any time. For designers of hypermedia applications, the HMBS can be a valuable tool that helps spot common problems, such as revealing pages that cannot be reached or navigation paths that are dead ends.

Moreover, it is possible to know which pages a user has visited before arriving at a given page. This is a very useful feature when designing educational hypermedia applications (for example), where taking a user’s previous knowledge into account is essential. Design methodologies must support modern hypermedia applications that do not consist of merely statically linked pages, but require synchronization of different media types.

Access control may be used not only to implement security policies, but also to provide different views according to user requirements. For example, tests in training applications may target different audiences, such as beginners and advanced students. Despite both tests drawing from the same pool of questions, users would be taken along the particular question path appropriate to their beginner or advanced status.

The paper is theoretical, though the main concepts are effectively illustrated by examples. Some of the more intricate ideas may require more than one reading. Having been published in ACM’s Transactions on Information Systems, the paper’s scholarly character certainly does not come as a surprise. The paper is excellent, and its plethora of references may serve as an outstanding source for further research.