An interrogative approach to novice programming

Abstract

Domain specific programming languages tend to be rigid in capability, and dependent on either a graphical interface or a scripting language. We present a question-oriented approach that requires no prior knowledge of programming and can be easily adapted to a wide range of domains. Interrogative programming works by "parsing" the user's intent using the responses to a series of closed-ended questions. Questions are guided by a context free grammar specified in an external file. We discuss the benefits, capabilities and limitations of interrogative programming along with the results of recent usability studies with our prototype.