End-User Development Systems Research Articles

EUDability: A new construct at the intersection of End-User Development and Computational Thinking

The sustainable and digital future of work may imply a dramatic equilibrium change between social factors and technological ones. We argue that providing suitable tools to support End-User Development (EUD) in the workplace could represent a way to cope with such future changes. The contributions of this paper include the analysis and characterization of the most used EUD techniques and their crossover with a new conveyed model of Computational Thinking. The synthesis between these aspects is made explicit in the construct of EUDability, which is designed to capture the quality dimensions of EUD systems suitable to work scenarios where better roles and better tools for individuals may be shaped. EUDability has to do with identifying and assessing the difficulties of EUD techniques on one side and the Computational Thinking skills held by individuals on the other side.

Integrated Monitoring System to Improve the Procurement Process through Provider with an End-User Development Approach (Case Study: XXX Institute)

This study aims to identify problems in procurement activities through providers at XXX Institute and to provide solutions to improve the procurement process through providers with an integrated system design to monitor the procurement process at XXX Institute. XXX Institute under the authority of Government that services in education and training. XXX institute are required to follow the procedures and rules set by the government to achieve the procurement objectives as stipulated in Presidential Regulation No. 16 Tahun 2018. Based on the identification problems, some obstacles is still existing in the procurement activities at XXX Institute due to negligence of procurement parties. An integrated monitoring system is needed for procurement parties to monitor the procurement process, so that the impact of procurement inconsistencies can be systematically resolved. In this research, the theories uses the PIECES Framework and the FAST method developed by Whitten and Bentley (2007) to identify problems in the system and create a system design to overcome these problems. The system design uses the end-user development system design process. According to Marshall B. Romney (2018) end-user development is a computer-based application which is the users can manage and develop the system. The result of the system design is a system to monitor every process of procuring goods or services at XXX Institute.

Mouse behavioral patterns and keystroke dynamics in End-User Development: What can they tell us about users’ behavioral attributes?

Studying human behavior is of particular interest within the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) as it can provide insight into human performance. Prior HCI research suggests that mouse and keyboard monitoring may provide a more complete picture of user behavior under high cognitive loads like decision making and developing tasks. In this exploratory study we investigate the potential correlation between mouse behavioral patterns or keystroke dynamics and a set of End-User Development (EUD) behavioral attributes. We conduct a field test on 30 end-users interacting with a modern web-based EUD tool for the construction of simple web forms. Our findings reveal the existence of several significant correlations between end-users’ behavioral attributes and mouse pattern metrics or keystroke dynamics during the development process. Mouse pattern metrics like random and straight movements, mouse hovers, etc., can be associated with perceived ease use, perceived usefulness, self-efficacy, willingness to learn or risk-perception. Similarly, some keystroke dynamics like key press speed and down-to-down time can be associated with perceived ease of use or self-efficacy. The findings of this work show a new interesting research direction and may motivate the EUD research community to study further the end-users’ mouse and keyboard behavior in today's web-based EUD systems.

Examining gender issues in perception and acceptance in web-based end-user development activities

In the recent years in the End-User Development (EUD) research there is a shift from the study of tools that focus on desktop graphical applications, to the development of EUD for web environments. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research has shown significant gender differences while users interact with EUD systems. However, most of this research focuses on desktop spreadsheet environments. In this paper we examine the potential gender differences in perception and acceptance in modern web-based EUD environments. We step on previous gender research in the fields of EUD and Technology Acceptance to concentrate a set of appropriate items and examine a set of related hypotheses. To check out our research hypotheses we have conducted a field test using a prototype web-based EUD tool based on a natural language approach (named ‘simple talking’), to assist end-users in creating database-driven mobile applications. The results of the field test show significant gender differences in Risk-Perception and Perceived-Ease of Use. As it was predicted, male users perceived significantly higher ease of use and female users perceived significantly higher risk. Gender differences also exist in the correlations between different pairs of perception and acceptance items.

Diagnosing user perception and acceptance using eye tracking in web-based end-user development

In the recent years in the End-User Development (EUD) research there is a shift from the study of tools that focus on desktop graphical applications, to the development of EUD for web environments. To this end mouse and eye tracking methodologies are used to implicitly monitor the end-user behavior in real time. In this paper we explore the potential correlation between eye movements and end-user perception and acceptance in modern web-based EUD environments. The aim is to find out whether end-users’ perception and acceptance attributes can be reflected on their eye behavior when interacting with a web-based, database-driven EUD system. To check out our research hypotheses we have conducted a field test using a prototype EUD tool based on a natural language approach (named ‘simple talking’), to assist end-users in creating database-driven mobile applications. The results of the field test show significant correlations between eye behavior and acceptance and perception. Self-Efficacy is correlated to fixations of any kind. Risk-Perception is correlated to the increment of the pupil size. Perceived Ease-of-Use is correlated to fixations that turned into clicks and to the increment of the pupil size. And Perceived Usefulness is correlated to fixation duration.

Human Factors in End-user Development of Marketing-IS: A Behavioral User Profiling Approach

Marketing-IS research has recently focused on the development of personalization systems that are based on the modeling of consumer behavior and consumer heterogeneity regarding their distinct needs and preferences. However, personalization approaches in the design and development stage of Marketing-IS have not been widely studied in the End-User Development (EUD) research area. The lack of such research studies results in the development of Marketing-IS tools that neglect the differences in the end-user behavior, and artifacts of low performance and reusability. Attempting to figure out how end-users can participate in the design and construction of Marketing-IS in an efficient way, research suggests the ‘construction’ of end- users behavioral profiles based on human factors. Recent evidence reveal that human factors such as gender and expertise level can influence and even determine the end-users’, behavior, and consequently performance, while end-users interact with EUD environments. This paper presents a methodological approach in which we identify different behavioral user-profiles, named ‘user-categories’ based on behavioural attributes derived by the human factors of gender and expertise level. The resulting user- categories can be applied in the modeling mechanism of adaptive EUD system environments. Such an approach is projected to implicitly assist the end-users in the enhancement of their performance during the development task of Marketing-IS

Multi-Level Adaptation in End-User Development of 3D Virtual Chemistry Experiments

Multi-level adaptation in end-user development (EUD) is an effective way to enable non-technical end users such as educators to gradually introduce more functionality with increasing complexity to 3D virtual learning environments developed by themselves using EUD approaches. Parameterization, integration, and extension are three levels of adaptation ranging from straightforward to complex in terms of what end users have to understand in order to develop functional software applications, all within reach of end users without special training on programming. A 3D educational application EUD system prototype, iVirtualWorld, has been expanded to support 3D virtual chemistry experiments generation using these three levels of EUD adaptation. An evaluation has been conducted on 18 participants from the education domain, and the results confirmed ease-of-learn, ease-of-use, and usefulness of this solution. Contributions of this paper are 1) a paradigm for applying EUD technologies in 3D virtual learning environment creation; 2) an easy-to-use tool for educators to build customized virtual chemistry experiments; and 3) empirical assessment data for the multi-level adaptation solution.

End-User System Development

How much end-user computing is too much? Should end users develop systems? This case looks at a study of end user computing within the engineering organizations of an electric utility undergoing deregulation. The case was initiated when management perceived that too much engineering time was spent doing IS functions. The case found that there was significant effort being expended on system development, support, and ad hoc use. Reviews of a few key systems illustrate quality problems found with the end-user developed systems. Several issues were identified affecting system development including use of programming standards, documentation, infrastructure integration, and system support. Additionally, the issues of obsolescence, security, and procurement are discussed.

Supporting Large-Scale End User Specification of Workflows, Work Coordination and Tool Integration

Workflow Management Systems are a common example of an end user development system, in that they support end user specification of work process models, end user enactment (running) of these models, and end user evolution of workflows. Example applications of Workflow Management Systems include office automation, software process modelling and business process codification. We describe a novel workflow system which provides visual support for end users to specify both simple and complex aspects of workflows, including workflow models, communication and collaboration techniques, and the tools used to perform work. We illustrate both the utility of these work coordination mechanisms and the degree of scalability they provide for both novice and experienced end users. We also outline the architecture of our system, our experiences with this workflow tool, and future research directions in this area.

Methods of planning the electronic workplace

Abstract Traditional data processing methods of implementing systems have led to many human problems and have often not been successful. This paper reviews a number of alternative design methods, both centralized methods such as structured design methods, and decentralized or end user-developed systems. It concludes that, whilst the new methods are all more user-centred in concept, they may still fail because the methods necessary to deal with user issues are not widely available. The paper ends by reviewing the required methods which include task analysis, prototype evaluation, interface design and continued user support. Some examples of the required methods are provided.