Why looking isn't always seeing: readership skills and graphical programming

  • Authors:
  • Marian Petre

  • Affiliations:
  • The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, U.K.

  • Venue:
  • Communications of the ACM
  • Year:
  • 1995

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Abstract

Many believe that visual programming techniques are quite close to developers. This article reports on some fascinating research focusing on understanding how textual and visual representations for software differ in effectiveness. Among other things, it is determined that the differences lie not so much in the textual-visual distinction as in the degree to which specific representations support the conventions experts expect.