ARCA is a definitive notation for describing combinatorial artefacts, such as the diagram below.

ARCA is described in (at least) the following publications. Unfortunately there is no authoritative guide to the notation (yet).

• W.M. Beynon (Sept 1983) A Definition of the ARCA Notation (CS-RR-054)
• W.M. Beynon (1985) Definitive notations for interaction (EM paper 001)
• W.M. Beynon (June 1986) ARCA - A Notation for Displaying and Manipulating Combinatorial Diagrams (CS-RR-078)
• W.M. Beynon (Feb 1987) Definitive Principles for Interactive Graphics (CS-RR-093)
• Samia Meziani (Dec 1987) Denota: an Interpreter for Definitive Notations (MSc thesis)
• Stuart Bird (1991) An Implementation of ARCA in EDEN (Third year project) -- see also arcaBird1991 (from which the image above is taken)
• Dominic Gehring (1995) Tables as Definitive Variables (Third year project)
• Richard Cartwright (1998) Geometric Aspects of Empirical Modelling: Issues in Design and Implementation (PhD thesis)
• Ashley Ward (2004) Interaction with Meaningful State: Implementing Dependency on Digital Computers (PhD thesis) -- refers to the topic of moding and Meziani's Denota (see p.301) -- see also arcaWard2002