End-user mashup programming: through the design lens

  • Authors:

  • Jill Cao;Yann Riche;Susan Wiedenbeck;Margaret Burnett;Valentina Grigoreanu

  • Affiliations:

  • Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA;Riche Design, Seattle, USA;Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA;Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA;Oregon State University, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, USA

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
  • Year:
  • 2010

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Abstract

Programming has recently become more common among ordinary end users of computer systems. We believe that these end-user programmers are not just coders but also designers, in that they interlace making design decisions with coding rather than treating them as two separate phases. To better understand and provide support for the programming and design needs of end users, we propose a design theory-based approach to look at end-user programming. Toward this end, we conducted a think-aloud study with ten end users creating a web mashup. By analyzing users' verbal and behavioral data using Schön's reflection-in-action design model and the notion of ideations from creativity literature, we discovered insights into end-user programmers' problem-solving attempts, successes, and obstacles, with accompanying implications for the design of end-user programming environments for mashups. The contribution of our work is three-fold: 1) the methodology of using a design lens to view programming, 2) evidence, through insights gained, of the usefulness of this approach, and 3) the implications themselves.