Abstract: Visual programming approaches are limited in their usefulness if they do not include a profile of their users that defines exactly who is attempting to solve what kind of problems using which tools and why. Without such a definition, visual programming approaches can end up as solutions in search of problems. Reconceptualizing — programming environments as layered behavior processors in the context of creating SimCity™-like interactive simulations — makes end-user programming more feasible. The layered approach serves the programming needs for a range of users, including casual computer end-users and professional programmers. The extension of the Agentsheets system with the Ristretto™ agent to Java bytecode compiler is used to illustrate how a behavior processor enables end-users to create their own Java applets that can be embedded into web pages.

Abstract: Frequently, the design of interactive systems focuses exclusively on the capabilities provided by the dynamic nature of computational media. Yet our have provided many examples in which physical models provide certain strengths not found in computational models. Rather than viewing this as a dichotomy -- where one must choose between one or the other -- we are exploring the creation of computational environments that build on the strengths of combined physical and virtual approaches. Over the last decade, we have developed different design environments to support stakeholders engaged in design processes by enhancing communication, facilitating shared understanding, and creating better artifacts. Until a few years ago, our work explored physical and computational media separately. In this paper we present our efforts to develop integrated design environments linking physical and computational dimensions to attain the complementary synergies that these two worlds offer. Our purpose behind this integration is the development of systems that can enhance the movement from conceptual thinking to concrete representations using face-to-face interaction to promote the negotiation of meaning, the direct interaction with artifacts, and the possibility that diverse stakeholders can participate fully in the process of design. To this end, we analyze the strengths, affordances, weaknesses, and limitations of the two media used separately and illustrate with our most recent work the value added by integrating these environments.

Abstract: Computational critiquing mechanisms have been used to support designers in refining a partial design solution during the course of reflection-in-action. The paper argues that by being embedded in an integrated design environment, critiquing mechanisms can help designers refine not only a partial solution but also a partially articulated design problem, uncovering design intentions. This claim is supported with the presentation of transcripts from user studies with the KID (Knowing-in-Design) design environment for kitchen floor plan design. Results of the study indicate that the embedded critics in KID helped designers explicitly articulate previously tacit domain knowledge in response to critiquing (13 Refs.)