End-user development of smart home rules using block-based programming: a comparative usability evaluation with programmers and non-programmers

Autor(es)

Goncalves, Mateus Carvalho ^[1] ; Lara, Otavio Neves ^[1] ; de Bettio, Raphael Winckler ^[2] ; Freire, Andre Pimenta ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Lavras, Dept Comp Sci, Lavras - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Lavras, Dept Appl Comp, Lavras - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: BEHAVIOUR & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY; v. 40, n. 10, SI, p. 974-996, JUL 27 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

The use of Smart Homes has grown considerably in the past decade. Enabling end-users to develop rules to program their homes and devices is very important to empower them. Several studies have analysed trigger-action programming tools, primarily using form-based and data-flow approaches for programming interfaces. This study evaluated the usability of a block-based tool for end-user development of rules to control smart homes and compared the difficulties encountered by non-programmers and programmers. Evaluations involved 10 programmers and 10 non-programmers in Brazil. A thematic analysis of 247 problem instances (80 from programmers and 167 from non-programmers) yielded the following themes, with problems related to condition blocks, action blocks, states and actions, time-related tasks, block configuration and personalisation, information architecture, programming logic, conceptual model of smart homes, simulator and debugging, help and technical problems. Despite most non-programmers being able to experiment with blocks, their task completion rates were significantly lower than programmers. The analysis showed aspects where block-based programming can enhance the use for non-programmers. They also confirmed interaction aspects revealed by previous studies using form-based and data-flow approaches that also occur with block-based programming to design smart home rules, with important contributions to improve end-user development tools for smart homes. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 20/05187-5 - Usabilidade de sistemas interativos com internet das coisas para controle de casas inteligentes e monitoramento de saúde para pessoas idosas
• Beneficiário: André Pimenta Freire
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular