ABSTRACT
Contemporary coastal models are inevitably highly specialized, involve certain assumptions and/or limitations, and are operable only by experienced engineers who acquire a thorough understanding of the underlying theories. This has resulted in significant constraints on the use of models, thus producing a discrepancy between the developers and users of models. These models are usually not user-friendly enough. They lack the capacity to transfer knowledge in the application and interpretation of the model, in furnishing expert backup to novice users, and in accomplishing effective communication from developers to users. Many users of a model do not have the specific knowledge to glean their input data, establish algorithmic models and assess the results of their model. The result may be the outcome of inferior designs and the under-utilization or even total failure of these models. Recently, there has been increased need for an integrated approach. Thus, the problem is to present the information, knowledge, and experience in a format that facilitates understanding by a broad range of users from novices to experts (Abbott 1986).
