[comp.cog-eng] Empirical Evaluation of the NeXT Interface Builder

perlman@capybara.cis.ohio-state.edu (Gary Perlman) (08/02/89)

The following paper is available from me:

Evaluation of the NeXT Interface Builder for Prototyping a Smart Telephone
	Umesh Thakkar
	Gary Perlman
	Dave Miller
The Ohio State University

Abstract:

	The programming-by-example paradigm promises to allow
	non-programmers and programmers alike to develop software more
	effectively.  The NeXT Interface Builder is a tool for
	prototyping and developing highly graphical user interfaces.  To
	evaluate the NeXT Interface Builder, we developed the smartPhone
	application and collected a variety of data on the efforts of
	four programmers' development of a programmable telephone user
	interface.  The main result was that with minimal training, the
	NeXT Interface Builder allowed programmers to develop non-trivial
	user interfaces in about an hour.  On the negative side, more
	expertise and effort was required to an object-oriented
	application required for interface to the Interface Builder.  We
	conclude with a recommendation for more empirical evaluation of
	the NeXT system. 
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Gary Perlman                   Department of Computer and Information Science
perlman@cis.ohio-state.edu     The Ohio State University
614-292-2566                   2036 Neil Avenue Mall
                               Columbus, OH 43210-1277