A device and method of determining changes to a graphical user interface (GUI) that does not require the use of a configuration file or the use of data from a previous operation of an application computer program by identifying a program currently running, determining a first tree structure for the GUI, identifying a communication from the program to the GUI, returning to the third step if the communication does not change the GUI, determining a second tree structure for the changed GUI, comparing the first and second tree structures for any change, discarding the first tree structure, renaming the second tree structure as the first tree structure, and transmitting the identified change to a user, and returning to the third step.