The IMP – Information Modelling Programme – The Evolutionary Series of Prototype Tools and Concept Demonstrator Applications
Introduction
Between 1987 and 1996 – as part of the ‘IMP Initiative’ (the Information Modelling Programme) a series of “information modelling tools” and multimedia/hypermedia applications were prototyped.
These applications were essentially “concept demonstrators”.
The original “HNS Browser” was a demonstration of my vision of (i) “graphical schemata as visual representations of systems and domains” – following a simple analysis of systems /domains and the composition of maps/blueprints of the fewest key elements of the system or domain, organised into a meaningful array e.g. the HNS Schema (ii) schemata/maps with hyperlinking – from the elements of the schema/map to definition, detail and reference – which I called “browsers” (iii) simple analysis of (large, complex) systems/domains (by experts/teachers) to design and compose small simple representations = “schemata” which are employed as simple visual graphical interfaces (portals) to the system/domain – simple graphical maps/representations/interfaces which can be “browsed” and links (hyperlinks) implemented to reveal (discover) definition, detail and reference (iv) good interaction employing browsing and hyperlinking – to achieve positive cognitive stimulation and “discovery learning”.
When I showed the HNS Browser to Noel Sheehy of the Psychology Department and Gillian Tett of the Computer Science Department – they told me about the research area of “Hypertext” of which – as a Lecturer in Human Anatomy – I was ignorant. What I had created and demonstrated in the “HNS Browser” was a graphical form of “hyperlinking”.
When I showed the “HNS Browser” to the IBM New Technologies Group and described my vision – above – and my vision of high-quality high-definition colour screen displays (beyond the crude low-resolution black-and-white PC screens around in 1985/6) – AND to explore how games programming might provide the interaction I was looking for – the IBM New Technologies Group funded a project into what I called “Interactive hypermedia” employing their brand new PC-RT Workstation with its high-resolution colour display.
Being able to recruit a games programmer – we delivered the “GPE” tool – as a concept demonstrator of information modelling employing object-oriented design and programming.
When I showed the “HNS Browser” and the “GPE” Tool to a number of academics – interested in how computer-based tools and “multimedia” (an idea being pursued at that time) might facilitate teaching and learning – some of them from various departments around the university employed my new IMP Group to develop concept demonstrators in their subjects. The head of the Textile Industries Department and his colleagues were excited by the possibilities and were the first to employ us.
The subsequent IMP initiative and programme of work was an investigation into what simple “information modelling tools” might be through applied R&D. Design prototype, use to build an application, test and evaluate with real users and go back to the drawing board with feedback, realisations and lessons to be learnt.
The IMP tools included:’ The Media Language’, ‘Paris’ and ‘The Magic Browser’, ‘GARDEN’ and ‘IMPFW’. These were a series of evolving prototypes and “concept demonstrators” – employed in the construction of various applications for various clients (principally teachers in various departments aware of the IMP Initiative and wanting to explore the new technology of “computer-based multimedia” (specifically “hypermedia” – where the component elements/objects were hyperlinked to definition, detail and reference).
- The State Of The Art, 1987-1997
- The HNS Browser, 1986
- The GPE, 1990
- Media Language, 1991
- GARDEN, 1992/3
- MMPR (The Multimedia Patient Record), 1992/1993
- The Paris HTML Browser 1993/4
- The Magic HTML Browser 1994/5
- The CLCV Project Browser 1996 (1)
- The CLCV Project Browser 1996 (2)
- The CLCV Project Browser 1996 (3)
- IMPFW 1996
The IBM ‘GPE’ Project
See: https://slx-online.biz/hursley/hursley-products-sw.asp
Select the URL of the IBM UK Hursley Park Museum – Find the “1990 GPE Project”.
With the support of IBM UK, I was able to establish the “IMP Initiative” at the University of Leeds – IMP being “The Information Modelling Programme” (of projects to develop and test prototype tools and demonstrator applications in the exploration of “information modelling” (as I envisaged it).
I was able to pursue my vision of “Interactive Hypermedia” and my aim to pursue the ideas of “active and interactive” and “positive cognitive stimulation” – by employing a professional games programmer – to develop de novo software – in a short, speculative ‘Blue Skies’/’Blue Plane’ ‘’Type C’ Project’ for the development of a tangible testable prototype (rather than a 3-year academic research project) employing an academic postdoctoral computer scientist to employ the new generation of “expert systems” tools. That is the “D” from “R&D”.
As an “interloper”, a “maverick” and with an idiosyncratic vision of computing – rather against the grain e.g. (in 1987) “you can’t do that”, “the hardware and software does not exist to support that”; “nobody would want to do that”; “besides, that’s our domain not yours” – it occurred to me that the designation, “IMP” besides standing for “The Information Modelling Programme” – might convey a notion of “a mischievous child”.
The IMP Initiative
In 1989/90, IBM UK New Technologies Group at Hursley Park Winchester funded a concept demonstrator project “Object-Oriented Interactive Hypermedia Distributed on the Network”. Not just a one-off project – this allowed me to establish an umbrella initiative which I called ‘IMP’ The Information Modelling Programme.
The IMP Information Modelling Programme Project
The ‘IMP Project’ was established in 1990 with the support of IBM UK New Technologies Group – as an umbrella designation for what I hoped would be a series of projects to develop “information modelling tools” (with simple GUIs) with the benefit of games programming techniques (and state-of-the-art graphics).
My aim was to develop generic open systems distributed object-oriented tools and concept demonstrator applications. I did this by selling the ideas, the concepts, and the existing GPE prototype (and subsequent evolutionary prototypes) to interested parties (academics with an eye to “computer-based multimedia” and its potential application in teaching and learning).
See: https://magicbrowser.co.uk//the-evolutionary-series/
Under the umbrella of the “IMP Initiative” I was able to conduct the evolutionary series of projects to develop and test prototype tools and demonstrator applications in the exploration of “information modelling” (as I envisaged it).
As a Lecturer in Human Anatomy at the University of Leeds School of Medicine (and later also as Hon Lecturer in Psychology at The University of Hull and later Lecturer in Applied Information Systems in the School of Geography at the University of Leeds).
Starting out and for a lot of the time – as an “interloper”, a “maverick”, and “taking the food off our (the Department of Computing Science’s) table”. Unable to secure funding from conventional academic sources. Seeking support from interested parties (in the “computer-based multimedia” which was rumoured to be on the horizon; and those looking forward to employing computers for teaching and learning) for small, short-term speculative demonstrator projects.
Various interested parties asked us to build applications for teaching and learning and to address issues and demonstrate ideas in their various domains.
My aim was to explore my vision of “interactive hypermedia” – as quickly as possible before the world caught up – a vision which evolved – and with the technical input of my colleague games programmer interested in programming language design, rapid prototyping, and GUIs – to embrace a strategy of open systems, platform-independent, object-oriented applications distributed to multiple users on the network. This 2-3 years before the appearance of the WWW.
In 1993/4, we delivered to multiple departments and multiple students on the Campus Network – the “EFC Browser” Environment Foundation Course – a multi-author, interactive hypermedia application – situated on University Campus Servers – built with our custom prototype tool “GARDEN” employing UNIX/X11Windows/TCP-IP and the Eiffel the pure object-oriented programming language. With a simple hypertext hyper graphics mark-up language.
The ‘Frameworks’ Project
The ‘Frameworks’ Project was initiated in 2012: to review the IMP Project; to develop a new Methodology and a new Prototype (based around the nucleus ‘Core Spinal Model’ first employed in the ‘CLCV: Browser Project in 1995 and the IMPFW prototype in 1996) called ‘Frameworks’; to Disseminate the ideas around ‘Frameworks’, the genesis of ‘Frameworks’, and the new Methodology and Prototype Tool; to Develop, test and evolve the Prototype ‘Frameworks’ Tool. With key inputs from Thinkers in academic computing science and education, and Practitioners in applied computing, design and education; a programmer and coder; an illustrator animator.
The Book: ‘Frameworks’
“’Frameworks’: Making Sense of It All in The Age of Big Information; A Simple Methodology for Structured Thinking”

Published by The Brandspire Press, 2025
Available as a Paperback Book (from such as Waterstones and Blackwells Bookshops) and Amazon Kindle as an E-Book.
Summary: The IMP Evolutionary Series of Prototype Tools and Concept Demonstrator Applications
Here I am very pleased (and eternally grateful) to mention those at the University of Leeds who supported my initiative in the early to mid-1990s: including – especially – Noel Sheehy RIP, then a Senior Lecturer in Psychology; the Professor of Textile Industries (forgive my lapse in memory); a Senior Lecturer in the School of English, Lynette Hunter*; and the University of Leeds Librarian, Reginald Carr.
*This was a challenging project! A lecturer in Human Anatomy leading a small IT team invited by a member of the Humanities to engage with multimedia technology (they had seen various of our multimedia applications and recognised our abilities).
The Humanities aim: to employ the new IT Multimedia technologies in their research and teaching and in particular to create a digital multimedia version of the Victorian Magazine “The Lady” (where this material was very delicate and precious).
My aim: to engage with whoever was interested (from any domain) in exploring the development and evolution of “multimedia”, “distributed hypermedia”, and “information modelling tools”. As I enthusiastically represented my vision of “multimedia” and “distributed hypermedia” – Lynette Hunter observed that she regarded this as somewhat “hyperbole”.
Not wishing to engage in a date about my use of the terminology “interactive hypermedia” and not wishing to alienate her, I endeavoured to fulfil her brief. We developed and delivered a tangible application “The Victorian Periodicals Hypermedia Browser”. Beyond hyperbole. Walking the hyperbole.

This is a screenshot from the “VPH Browser” – employing the prototype tool, “Media Languge” in 1991/2 – where an Index of Key Elements was compiled- each Key Element generated a “Chunk” for the display of information as a (multimedia). A series of graphical browsers for the main Categories defined by Lynette Hunter – which displayed in Chunks as “Browsers”.
Was IMP simply a technical contractor, or was IMP an academic partner in a multidisciplinary applied (digital computer-based multimedia) development project?
My aim was to continue the IMP Mission of the (evolutionary) development of information modelling tools and concept demonstrators of “interactive hypermedia” – engaging in projects with various partners who would fund IMP to do the IT design, programming, coding and delivery work.
See: https://magicbrowser.co.uk/media-language/
[While I endeavoured to develop and demonstrate my vision of “Interactive hypermedia” in the 1990s – the World Wide Web?/websites and a multitude of tools and apps have been developed and “hypermedia” delivered! My question is – to what extent is it “Interactive”? Is it interactivity for creativity, positive cognitive stimulation, or for the consumption of stuff?]
Lynette Hunter and her colleagues aimed to digitise and deliver Victorian Periodicals as a computer-based resource. (Preserving the delicate original paper-based material).
So, we each (both) succeeded!
The realisation of ideas into tangible realities (prototype tools and demonstrator applications) was implemented with the technical skills and imagination of Colin Parrott, a games programmer who joined me in 1989 when IBM UK New Technologies Group funded my vision of “Interactive Hypermedia”.
A Short List of “Multimedia” and GUIs – 1980s/1990s
A Short List of IMP Prototype “Information Modelling Tools” and GUIs
The State Of The Art, 1987-1997
MMPR (The Multimedia Patient Record), 1992/1993
The CLCV Project Browser 1996 (1)
The CLCV Project Browser 1996 (2)
The CLCV Project Browser 1996 (3)
The Frameworks’ Project: Development, 2012-2025
Currently 2024/2025
Programming & Coding to the Current ‘Frameworks’ Prototype to Version 3.1 (October 2024)
The situation of the Current ‘Framworks’ Prototoype and the Testing & Evaluation of ‘Frameworks’ 3.1 with Teachers and their Pupils.
The ‘Frameworks’ Project Plan: ‘Frameworks’ Prototype to Version 4.0.
https://magicbrowser.co.uk/frameworks/