Why does the spreadsheet work … and how can we improve it? A
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Transcript Why does the spreadsheet work … and how can we improve it? A
Why does the spreadsheet work …
… and how can we improve it?
A user interface perspective on the foundations
of spreadsheets.
Alan Blackwell
Computer Laboratory
Cambridge University
Outline
Why the spreadsheet was invented
Which features were critical to success
HCI research in spreadsheet use
Where next?
Grounds for critique of current products
Possible product futures
Possible futures for spreadsheet users
Timescale of UI Evolution
1940s:
Scientific instruments
Timescale of UI Evolution
1940s:
Scientific
instruments
1950s:
Mathematical
tools
DIMENSION A(11)
READ A
2
DO 3,8,11 J=1,11
3
I=11-J
Y=SQRT(ABS(A(I+1)))+5*A(I+1)**3
IF (400>=Y) 8,4
4
PRINT I,999.
GOTO 2
8
PRINT I,Y
11 STOP
Timescale of UI Evolution
1940s:
Scientific
instruments
1950s:
Mathematical tools
1960s:
Data files &
records
Timescale of UI Evolution
1940s:
Scientific instruments
1950s:
Mathematical tools
1960s:
Data files & records
1970s:
Command languages
OBEY
YES
SIR
Timescale of UI Evolution
1940s:
Scientific instruments
1950s:
Mathematical tools
1960s:
Data files & records
1970s:
Command languages
1980s:
Bitmapped screens,
direct manipulation
“Modern” UI Essentials
Drawing
e.g. Sketchpad
1963
“Modern” UI Essentials
Drawing
e.g. Sketchpad
1963
Presentation
e.g. NLS 1968
(also hypertext,
online collaboration
…)
“Modern” UI Essentials
Drawing
e.g. Sketchpad
1963
Presentation
e.g. NLS 1968
(also hypertext,
online collaboration
…)
Word Processing
e.g. Bravo 1973-77
Inventing the Spreadsheet (1978)
Bricklin’s concept:
“electronic
blackboard”
closest to NLS
collaboration tools?
Frankston’s
optimisation:
fast, compact &
responsive
Fylstra’s market:
individual
ownership and
control via PCs
Outline
Why the spreadsheet was invented
Which features were critical to success
HCI research in spreadsheet use
Where next?
Grounds for critique of current products
Possible product futures
Possible futures for spreadsheet users
From Apple II to IBM PC / MS-DOS
PC Functionally equivalent to the Apple II
(no mouse, no bitmapped display)
Business software emphasis
simple databases
word processing
Lotus 1-2-3 replaced VisiCalc, included
charts and plots (as well as some
database and text formatting)
Direct manipulation
Original Mac applications were “creative”
writing, drawing, painting
derived from Kay’s vision of creative machine
Business market developments
desktop publishing created business market
Apple asked Microsoft to develop a SS
Excel
offered direct manipulation benefits of the Mac
point and click, menus, windows, prompts
The Spreadsheet “Metaphor”
HCI textbooks propose metaphor as
starting point for UI design.
But there is little evidence that the paper
SS ever influenced the development of
SS software.
Most benefits historically derived from UI
features of other software categories.
Outline
Why the spreadsheet was invented
Which features were critical to success
HCI research in spreadsheet use
Where next?
Grounds for critique of current products
Possible product futures
Possible futures for spreadsheet users
Experimental extensions
UI builder functions (Myers)
Navigation aids (Rao & Card)
Debugging aids (Burnett et. al.)
Typing and inference (Erwig)
Gesture interfaces (Wolf, Burnett)
Approximation, graphics (Lewis)
Multi-user support (various)
Tutoring and help systems (various)
Voice interfaces (various)
Spreadsheets in end-user context
Bonnie Nardi, A Small Matter of
Programming (MIT Press 1993) notes:
SSs are immediately useful for real tasks
SSs support direct manipulation
SSs have limited control constructs
SSs lead to collaborative communities
But SSs are:
Not automatically easy to learn (Hendry
& Green)
Liable to contain errors (Panko, others)
Mental models of spreadsheets
The user’s “mental model” is critical in HCI
But hard to say what goes on inside a
programmer’s head!
Saarilouma & Sajaniemi (1989) showed SS
users employ visual images
Navarro Prieto (1998) found visual images
help SS users understood dataflow
Petre & Blackwell (2000) note that many
programmers report experiencing images
Some theoretical design principles
Cognitive Dimensions of Notations
Discussion vocabulary for significant
design attributes and tradeoffs
(see Green & Petre in JVLC 1996,
Blackwell & Green in Carroll, ed. 2003.)
Surprise, Explain, Reward
We’ve built it, but will they come?
(see Robertson et. al., CHI 2004)
See also Blackwell’s Attention
Investment theory of abstraction use
Outline
Why the spreadsheet was invented
Which features were critical to success
HCI research in spreadsheet use
Where next?
Grounds for critique of current products
Possible product futures
Possible futures for spreadsheet users
Lessons from history & research
Account for collaboration
Be fast and responsive
Empower individuals
Provide a flat, imageable world
Support direct manipulation
Do current products retain these benefits?
Outline
Why the spreadsheet was invented
Which features were critical to success
HCI research in spreadsheet use
Where next?
Grounds for critique of current products
Possible product futures
Possible futures for spreadsheet users
Features are not the answer
Applications are developed in SSs because
of their low entry cost, seldom on
engineering grounds.
57% of 5500 SSs had no formulas
Can SS functions be partitioned into
developer and end-user sets?
How would the transition be managed?
Can we provide engineering benefits to end
users?
EUSES, e.g. Burnett, Erwig, Blackwell
Outline
Why the spreadsheet was invented
Which features were critical to success
HCI research in spreadsheet use
Where next?
Grounds for critique of current products
Possible product futures
Possible futures for spreadsheet users
User simplification
If the SS has been moving away from its
roots, can users (or organisations) return?
Templates
Process definitions
Reduced-feature standards
Adapt open-source products
Any more options? (DISCUSS!)