Affora is a design system for interfaces that computer-use agents can read, with reusable components and executable checks rather than a separate agent-only surface

arXiv 2609.19125·medium signalXBlueskyLinkedInCopy link

Computer-use agents drive software built for people, and the paper's finding is that agent performance depends on whether interaction meaning is available in the interface representation, not on visual conformity. Three controlled studies (component implementations, visual variation, interaction-design principles) establish that substantial visual variation stays possible as long as that meaning is preserved, which is the argument against maintaining a stripped agent-only view. Affora ships guidance from individual components up to complete sites with reusable implementations and executable checks, so the accessibility-style lint model applies. Evaluation on independently authored interfaces showed gains where Affora addressed an existing deficit and little effect where the deficit was absent, and a workflow case gives preliminary evidence of reduced interaction cost.