Tailoring as Collaboration : The Mediating Role of Multiple Representations and Application Units

摘要

Abstract. In this paper we see tailoring as indirect long-term collaboration between developers and users. initiated by developers when they build software systems, and responded to by end users when they later tailor the systems. We have identified two features we consider important when supporting this kind of collaboration. multiple representations and application units. Their main benefit is that they can enhance communication between developers and users, hence making it easier for users to do the tailoring. We present two tailorable systems we have built to test these ideas. One of the systems (ECHOES) is a collaborative system based on multiple representations, and the other system (BasicDraw) is an individual productivity tool based on multiple representations and application units. We discuss lessons learned from the two projects and suggest directions for future work including identifying some challenges that need to be overcome in order to bring end-user tailoring out of the prototyping laboratory and into user organizations.