We introduce a visual specification language for spreadsheets that allows the definition of spreadsheet templates. These templates are used by a spreadsheet generator to create Excel spreadsheets that are probably free from a large class of errors, such as reference, omission, and type errors. We demonstrate how spreadsheets can be...
The WYSIWYT (What You See is What You Test) methodology applies formal analysis and testing techniques to the spreadsheet paradigm. So far the methodology has been applied to a research spreadsheet prototype, Forms/3. However, this prototype lacks the mathematical libraries, referential functions, ranges, and macros of commercial spreadsheets like Excel...
There has been little research into how end-user programming environments can provide explanations that could fill a critical information gap for end-user debuggers - help with debugging strategy. To address this need, we designed and prototyped a video-based approach for explaining debugging strategy, and accompanied it with a text-only approach....
End-user programmers are writing an unprecedented number of programs, due in large part to the significant effort put forth to bring programming power to end users. Unfortunately, this effort has not been supplemented by a comparable effort to increase the correctness of these often faulty programs. To address this need,...
Although researchers have begun to explicitly support end-user programmers' debugging by providing information to help them find bugs, there is little research addressing the right content to communicate to these users. The specific semantic content of these debugging communications matters because, if the users are not actually seeking the information...
End users develop more software than any other group of programmers, using software authoring devices such as email filtering editors, by-demonstration macro builders, and spreadsheet environments. Despite this, there has been only a little research on finding ways to help these programmers with the dependability of the software they create....
End-user programmers are writing an unprecedented number of programs, primarily using languages and environments that incorporate a number of interactive and visual programming techniques. To help these users debug these programs, we have developed an entirely visual, interactive approach to fault localization. This paper presents the approach. We also present...
How can rigorous forms of testing be supported in a way that is both compatible with the visual aspect of visual programming languages, and usable by the audiences using those languages -- even when the audience has no background in software engineering? Visual programs are likely to contain at least...
This paper reports on an empirical study involving end users that addresses the question of whether it is possible to provide the benefits of formal testing within the informal spreadsheet paradigm. We have developed a "What You See Is What You Test" (WYSIWYT) methodology that brings the benefits of formal...