An evaluation of the DiaSuite toolset by professional developers: learning cost and usability
Milan Kabáč, Nic Volanschi, Charles Consel · 2015
This paper evaluates a design-driven, tool-based approach, named DiaSuite, dedicated to developing applications involving sensors and actuators. Specifically, we evaluate the usability and the learning cost of DiaSuite as a first step to assess the potential for transferring this technology to the industrial practice of this domain. We assess the cost of learning DiaSuite by involving four professional programmers in a usability study involving a software engineering task. This experiment brings preliminary evidence that the DiaSuite technology can be used effectively by professional developers after only half a day of training. We then present qualitative data about the usage and usability of DiaSuite, collected from developers, via questionnaires and interviews. Finally, we discuss lessons learned from this work.