1. A computing device comprising: a display; a logic machine; and a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine to: receive a user interface (UI) layout file that defines a visual layout of a graphical user interface (GUI), the UI layout file including a plurality of UI elements, each UI element including a UI element identifier and a UI element descriptor, the UI element identifier distinguishing the UI element from every other UI element in the UI layout file and the UI element descriptor defining formatting attributes of information displayed via the UI element; present via the display the GUI according to the UI layout file; receive an update object specifying one or more UI elements in the UI layout file to be changed, the update object including for each UI element to be changed, the UI element identifier of the UI element and an update payload including updated information to be displayed in accordance with the UI element descriptor for the UI element; and change via the display the GUI according to the update object.