Microsoft pattern's and practices (p&p) has released Composite UI Application Block on December 2005. I did not have much time to read my RSSs for some time.

The idea behind Composite UI Application Block is to enable rich user interaction (like in Win32 apps.) in a defined application shell architecture. This shell actually hosts the user interface which is composed of "parts". A good real world example would be Integrated Dell Desktop and Microsoft Customer Care Framework, which are implemented using the same underlying design patterns.

The Composite UI Application Block facilitates the design and implementation of your client applications in three areas:

• It allows your application to be based on the concept of modules or plug-ins.
• It allows developers with shell expertise to build components that hide user interface complexity from the business logic development.
• It facilitates development using patterns for loose coupling between modules.