Interconnecting portal components with dialog state transitions

A method for interconnecting portlets, the method comprising the steps of:

• causing a first view to be displayed on a computing device, wherein the first view is associated with a software application in a first state of a plurality of states of the software application, and wherein the first view includes a first portlet;
• receiving a first event from the first portlet, wherein the first event includes an indication of a type of the first portlet and data associated with the type of the first portlet;
• accessing a state model for the software application, wherein the state model includes a plurality of transitions between states of the software application, and wherein one transition of the plurality of transitions is triggered to bring the software application in to a second state of the plurality of states of the software application based on the type of the first portlet and the data associated with the type of the first portlet;
• one or more processors executing the one transition of the plurality of transitions to bring the software application in to the second state of the plurality of states of the software application;
• and
• causing a second view to be displayed on the computing device, wherein the second view is associated with the software application in the second state.