Draft: Comments and suggestions for publication welcome
Muriel Cooper [1925-1994] was a reknown graphic designer who had a vision of computer-based tools that could actively participate in the process of dynamic visual expression. Her interest in supporting the design process with intelligent tools led her to make artificial intelligence one of the major themes of her research group, the Visible Language Workshop [VLW]. Home to people of both visual design and computer backgrounds, the VLW embodied the best of the interdisciplinary spirit in which the MIT Media Lab was founded. During an era in which intelligent design applications were ignored by both the AI and computer graphics communities, the VLW supported a range of projects in this area, from automatic layout to graphical editors that can learn from examples. This paper surveys some of the history, research themes, and projects of the Visible Language Workshop.