The Evolving User-Centered Design of the Algorithm Visualization Storyboarder

Authors:
Christopher Hundhausen;Joshua Wingstrom;Ravikiran Vatrapu
Affiliations:
Washington State University, Pullman, WA;University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI;University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI
Venue:
VLHCC '04 Proceedings of the 2004 IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages - Human Centric Computing
Year:
2004

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Cited 3

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Abstract

The ALgorithm VIsualization Storyboarder (ALVIS) enables beginning and intermediate computer science students both to construct "low fidelity" (rough, unpolished) visualizations of the algorithms under study, and to present those visualizations to their peers and instructor for feedback and discussion. The original ALVIS software was a frail research prototype. We are using an iterative, user-centered design process to develop a public domain version of the software suitable for use in a "studio-based" computer science course. Through a series of empirical studies of both low and high fidelity prototypes of ALVIS, we have reevaluated the original design of ALVIS, and are presently in the process of making three key designchanges: (a) the underlying scripting language is being redesigned for simplicity and ease of learning; (b) the interface for creating and placing graphical variables and spatial structures is being simplified and streamlined for ease of use; and (c) new features are being added that explicitly support storytelling.