End-User Development with Design Environments : Gradual Mastery of Programming

Abstract

The end-user development (EUD) community has identified the need for new technologies that support the end user in the development and modification processes of applications. This thesis suggests the use of design environments as an answer to this request. A design environment provides the end users with task-specific programming constructs, while performing design activities. Explanations relevant to the task at hand are provided to the end user as the application is being constructed.

The thesis extends the notion of a design environment further by integrating it into a Flash environment. A prototype demonstrates how an end user may tailor a Flash application at runtime. The tailoring is offered at three levels with increasing complexity (from direct manipulation to programming), which supports a gradual mastery of programming.

The empirical evaluation of the prototype showed that the tailoring of the application could be performed by 1) direct manipulation, 2) integration of new sound, and 3) programming by extension and modification of the functionality. The end users received relevant support to the task at hand, but a tighter integration of tailoring environment and help system is needed. Furthermore, the Flash environment places some restrictions on the technical implementation of this integration, which identifies an area for further work.