End-user development for Smart Spaces: A comparison of block and data-flow programming

Block and data-flow programming are well-known concepts for enabling end users to visually create their own customized solutions. They both offer comprehensive visual interfaces and are becoming popular within the smart spaces domain. However, there is currently no systematic, comparative evaluation of the two concepts in the domain. In this user study, we implemented two prototypes for block and data-flow programming and compared their performance on typical usage scenarios in common smart spaces. We used a mixed methods approach of quantitative and qualitative analysis to gain an in-depth understanding of the user experience. Our results show that data-flow programming is overall better received by users than block programming and is considered being state-of-the art and visually more appealing. For block programming, our results reveal that participants appreciate the playful character and the feedback provided. Our study contributes to the improvement of block and data-flow solutions in place and discusses aspects relevant to the future advancement of end-user development in smart spaces.