The Experts below are selected from a list of 43383 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Mohammed Bahja - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Characterizing Visual Programming Approaches for End-User Developers: A Systematic Review
IEEE Access, 2021Co-Authors: Mohammad Amin Kuhail, Shahbano Farooq, Rawad Hammad, Mohammed BahjaAbstract:Recently many researches have explored the potential of Visual Programming in robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and education. However, there is a lack of studies that analyze the recent evidence-based Visual Programming approaches that are applied in several domains. This study presents a systematic review to understand, compare, and reflect on recent Visual Programming approaches using twelve dimensions: Visual Programming classification, interaction style, target users, domain, platform, empirical evaluation type, test participants’ type, number of test participants, test participants’ Programming skills, evaluation methods, evaluation measures, and accessibility of Visual Programming tools. The results show that most of the selected articles discussed tools that target IoT and education, while other fields such as data science, robotics are emerging. Further, most tools use abstractions to hide implementation details and use similar interaction styles. The predominant platforms for the tools are web and mobile, while desktop-based tools are on the decline. Only a few tools were evaluated with a formal experiment, whilst the remaining ones were evaluated with evaluation studies or informal feedback. Most tools were evaluated with students with little to no Programming skills. There is a lack of emphasis on usability principles in the design stage of the tools. Additionally, only one of the tools was evaluated for expressiveness. Other areas for exploration include supporting end users throughout the life cycle of applications created with the tools, studying the impact of tutorials on improving learnability, and exploring the potential of machine learning to improve debugging solutions developed with Visual Programming.
Margaret Burnett - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
improving the design of Visual Programming language experiments using cognitive walkthroughs
Journal of Visual Languages and Computing, 2002Co-Authors: Andrew J Ko, Thomas R G Green, Karen J Rothermel, Margaret Burnett, Curtis R CookAbstract:Abstract Visual Programming languages aim to promote usability, but their usability is rarely examined scientifically. One reason is the difficulty of designing successful experimental evaluations. We propose the Cognitive Walkthrough (CW) as an aid to improve experiments' designs. The CW is an HCI technique designed for evaluating interfaces. The technique focuses on the potential difficulties of novice users and is therefore particularly suited for evaluating Programming situations that arise in Visual Programming language experiments performed in laboratory settings. We first describe an empirical study performed without benefit of a walkthrough and show how the study was improved by a series of walkthroughs. We also describe two other empirical studies and how they were improved with the help of the CW. We found the method to be quick to use, effective at improving the experimental design, and usable by non-specialists.
-
static type inference for a first order declarative Visual Programming language with inheritance
Journal of Visual Languages and Computing, 2000Co-Authors: Rebecca Walpole Djang, Margaret Burnett, Roger D ChenAbstract:The early detection of type errors is a well-known benefit of static typing, but until recent years, this benefit usually has come at the cost of requiring the programmer to explicitly declare the type of every object in a program. Since many Visual Programming languages (VPLs), especially those VPLs intended for end users, are designed to eliminate such Programming mechanisms, most VPLs have been implemented with dynamic typing, thereby sacrificing early type error feedback and other benefits of static typing. One potential solution for this dilemma is static type inference, but unfortunately, the types inferred under previous approaches have been notoriously difficult to understand, even for professional programmers. Compounding this problem is the fact that when support for inheritance is added to such type inference systems, explicit type declarations have re-emerged.In this paper, we present a model of types that supports static type inference for a declarative VPL that includes inheritance. Our model addresses the problems presented in the previous paragraph. We present the formal model of our type system, and show that the model is not only sound with respect to type safety, but that it also has sufficient power to support traditional and non-traditional forms of inheritance, and further that it requires the user to understand only a small vocabulary of types, a feature important in addressing the understandability problem in end-user VPLs.
-
retire superman handling exceptions seamlessly in a declarative Visual Programming language
IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages, 1996Co-Authors: Margaret Burnett, Maureen ChesireAbstract:Exception handling is widely regarded as a necessity in Programming languages today, and almost every Programming language in current use supports some form of it. Unfortunately however, most approaches to exception handling involve constructs with unusual powers, and even deviations from the language's evaluation model. To avoid such devices in our declarative Visual Programming language, we have devised a full-featured approach to exception handling that fits seamlessly into languages that are declarative and Visual. Using this approach allows designers of declarative Visual Programming languages to provide the expressive power previously available only through complex exception handling techniques.
-
a seamless integration of algorithm animation into a Visual Programming language
Advanced Visual Interfaces, 1996Co-Authors: Paul R. Carlson, Margaret Burnett, Jonathan CadizAbstract:Until now, only users of textual Programming languages have enjoyed the fruits of algorithm animation. Users of Visual Programming languages (VPLs) have been deprived of the unique semantic insights algorithm animation offers, insights that would foster the understanding and debugging of Visual programs. To begin solving this shortcoming, we have seamlessly integrated algorithm animation capabilities into Forms/3, a declarative VPL in which evaluation is the continuous maintenance of a network of one-way constraints. Our results show that a VPL that uses this constraint-based evaluation model can provide features not found in other algorithm animation systems.
-
Scaling up Visual Programming languages
IEEE Computer, 1995Co-Authors: Margaret Burnett, Marla J. Baker, C. Bohus, Paul R. Carlson, Sherry YangAbstract:The directness, immediacy, and simplicity of Visual Programming languages are appealing. The question is, can VPLs be effectively applied to large scale Programming problems while retaining these characteristics. In scaling up, the problem is how to expand applicability without sacrificing the goals of better logic expression and understanding. From a size standpoint, scaling up refers to the programmer's ability to apply VPLs in larger programs. Such programs range from those requiring several days' work by a single programmer to programs requiring months of work, large Programming teams, and large data structures. From a problem domain standpoint, scaling up refers to suitability for many kinds of problems. These range from Visual application domains-such as user interface design or scientific Visualization-to general purpose Programming in such diverse areas as financial planning, simulations, and real time applications with explicit timing requirements. To illustrate the scaling up problem, we discuss nine major subproblems and describe emerging solutions from existing VPL systems. First, we examine representation issues, including static representation, screen real estate, and documentation. Next, we examine Programming language issues-procedural abstraction, interactive Visual data abstraction, type checking, persistence, and efficiency. Finally, we look at issues beyond the coding process. >
Mydhili Nair - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Milo: A Visual Programming environment for Data Science Education
2018 IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL HCC), 2018Co-Authors: Arjun Rao, Ayush Bihani, Mydhili NairAbstract:Most courses on Data Science offered at universities or online require students to have familiarity with at least one Programming language. In this paper, we present, “Milo”, a web-based Visual Programming environment for Data Science Education, designed as a pedagogical tool that can be used by students without prior-Programming experience. To that end, Milo uses graphical blocks as abstractions of language specific implementations of Data Science and Machine Learning(ML) concepts along with creation of interactive Visualizations. Using block definitions created by a user, Milo generates equivalent source code in JavaScript to run entirely in the browser. Based on a preliminary user study with a focus group of undergraduate computer science students, Milo succeeds as an effective tool for novice learners in the field of Data Science.
Mauro Mosconi - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
vipers a data flow Visual Programming environment based on the tcl language
Advanced Visual Interfaces, 1994Co-Authors: Massimo Bernini, Mauro MosconiAbstract:This paper presents VIPERS, a new, general purpose, Visual Programming environment, based on an augmented data-flow model. The novel design peculiarity of VIPERS is the use of a fully programmable interpretive command language (Tcl) to define the flow graph operators, as well as to control the behaviour and the appearance of the whole Programming environment. We show how such a choice, with its resulting synergies, can lead to a multifeatured, flexible and convenient Programming environment, where the application developer's tasks are remarkably simplified.
Sta Phane Magnenat - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
improving the thymio Visual Programming language experience through augmented reality
2014Co-Authors: Sta Phane Magnenat, Francesco MondadaAbstract:This document is a roadmap describing two directions for improving the user experience of the Thymio robot and its Visual Programming language using augmented reality techniques.
-
Visual Programming language for thymio ii robot
Interaction Design and Children, 2014Co-Authors: Jiwon Shin, Roland Siegwart, Sta Phane MagnenatAbstract:This paper introduces a Visual Programming language (vpl) for Thymio II, an educational robot. Our vpl is intended for children in primary school and aims at making robotics Programming approachable for young children by creating a close correspondence between the icons of the Programming language and the design of the robot. Its two modes of operation | basic and advanced | allow children to learn Programming at a level suitable for their current skill. Moreover, our vpl provides a live generation of textual code that eases the transition to textual Programming for more advanced children. This paper describes the goals and the guiding principles behind the design of our vpl and demonstrates how an iterative development process with evaluations with children resulted in an improved vpl.
