Lisa Rennels and Sarah Chasins

EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley

Technical Report No. UCB/EECS-2023-20

March 30, 2023

http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2023/EECS-2023-20.pdf

Programming tools are increasingly integral to research and analysis in myriad domains, including specialized areas with no formal relation to computer science. Embedded domain-specific languages (eDSLs) have the potential to serve these programmers while placing relatively light implementation burdens on language designers. However, barriers to eDSL usability reduce their practical value and adoption. In this paper, we aim to deepen our understanding of how programmers use eDSLs and identify user needs to inform future eDSL designs. We performed a contextual inquiry (9 participants) with domain experts using Mimi, an eDSL for climate change economics modeling. A thematic analysis identified four key themes, including: the host language has significant and sometimes unexpected impacts on eDSL usability, and users preferentially engage with domain-specific communities and code templates rather than host language resources. The needs uncovered in our study offer implications for future eDSL designs and suggest directions for future language usability research.

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BibTeX citation:

@techreport{Rennels:EECS-2023-20,
    Author= {Rennels, Lisa and Chasins, Sarah},
    Title= {Contextual Inquiry into Programmers’ Use of Mimi and Implications for Embedded DSL Design},
    Year= {2023},
    Month= {Mar},
    Url= {http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2023/EECS-2023-20.html},
    Number= {UCB/EECS-2023-20},
    Abstract= {Programming tools are increasingly integral to research and analysis in myriad domains, including specialized areas with no formal relation to computer science. Embedded domain-specific languages (eDSLs) have the potential to serve these programmers while placing relatively light implementation burdens on language designers. However, barriers to eDSL usability reduce their practical value and adoption. In this paper, we aim to deepen our understanding of how programmers use eDSLs and identify user needs to inform future eDSL designs. We performed a contextual inquiry (9 participants) with domain experts using Mimi, an eDSL for climate change economics modeling. A thematic analysis identified four key themes, including: the host language has significant and sometimes unexpected impacts on eDSL usability, and users preferentially engage with domain-specific communities and code templates rather than host language resources. The needs uncovered in our study offer implications for future eDSL designs and suggest directions for future language usability research.},
}

EndNote citation:

%0 Report
%A Rennels, Lisa 
%A Chasins, Sarah 
%T Contextual Inquiry into Programmers’ Use of Mimi and Implications for Embedded DSL Design
%I EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley
%D 2023
%8 March 30
%@ UCB/EECS-2023-20
%U http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2023/EECS-2023-20.html
%F Rennels:EECS-2023-20