What do developers do when it comes to understanding and using APIs?
What do developers do when it comes to understanding and using APIs?
It turns out there is no single answer. Developers may have unique goals, motivations, constraints, and challenges, and all of these influence how they approach the problem in front of them. However, more than a decade ago, three development styles were identified - systematic, pragmatic, and opportunistic - and the academic literature suggests that these still exist today. Two of the three approaches, the systematic and the opportunistic pattern, can be considered as opposite extremes, while the pragmatic approach is situated in between and is similar to both. It is not a personality trait - people may approach a situation one way or another depending on their circumstances, goals, and motivations (however, they may also have a preferred approach, which is usually their characteristic). Understanding the differences between these patterns (and the different needs) helps us to design in a way that serves most of the users, and even helps them to get into a state of flow by providing the optimal level of challenge to solve their problem.
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What do developers do when it comes to understanding and using APIs?
- 1. I am Emese Hello! - Psychologist, UX researcher - Family of developers
- 2. - Give them what they need - No errors, - No exceptions - Good design in invisible - Understand their tasks, goals - 2007, Steven Clarke - 3 approaches to software development The happy path
- 3. Generally - A well-educated approach - Building elegant, maintainable solutions API learning - review concepts and architecture documentation to - take time to prepare the development environment - form hypotheses about possible approaches - follow the proposed processes and suggestions closely The systematic approach “I want to know what I am doing”, “I want to be in control” devportal code
- 4. Generally - curious explorers - just a sufficient understanding to be able to solve their problem - varying expertise (e.g. citizen developers) API learning - quickly scan through the documentation, start experimenting - reuse code examples/other people’s solutions - Web searches, a lot of open browser tabs The opportunistic approach “Let’s see how it can be used” web code devp code
- 5. Generally - Combining the elements of the systematic and the opportunistic approaches API learning - Learn enough to start the task and then refer back to the documentation (or other resources) as needed The pragmatic approach devp code
- 6. “ Providing everything developers might need is not enough.
- 7. My way to get loving statistics: A personal story
- 8. Flow: the source code of intrinsic motivation Feel our best - perform our best …full involvement (totally absorbed), intense concentration, embodiment, enjoyment, creativity, silenced inner critic..
- 9. The questions to ask… 1. What types of information do developers need? 2. What kind of mindset do they come to a devportal with? 3. How to maximize the chance that developers will experience flow?
- 10. Challenge Skills Arousal Anxiety Worry Apathy Boredom Relaxation Control FLOW Some of the triggers/correlates of flow: - Intensely focused attention - Clear goals - Immediate feedback - High consequences - Risk - Rich environment Getting into the zone
- 11. Any questions? You can find me at ◉ emese.hallgato@pronovix.com Thanks! 11