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Why Is Programming (Sometimes) So Difficult? Programming as Scientific Discovery in Multiple Problem Spaces

Author

Listed:
  • Jinwoo Kim

    (Department of Business Administration, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Korea)

  • F. Javier Lerch

    (Graduate School of Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213)

Abstract

Our theoretical framework views programming as search in three problem spaces: rule, instance, and representation. The main objectives of this study are to find out how programmers change representation while working in multiple problem spaces, and how representation change increases the difficulty of programming tasks. Our theory of programming indicates that programming is similar to the way scientists discover and test theories. That is, programmers generate hypotheses in the rule space and test these hypotheses in the instance space. Moreover, programmers change their representations in the representation space when rule development becomes too difficult or alternative representations are available. We conducted three empirical studies with different programming tasks: writing a new program, understanding an existing program, and reusing an old program. Our results indicate that considerable cognitive difficulties stem from the need to change representations in these tasks. We conclude by discussing the implications of viewing programming as a scientific discovery for the design of programming environments and training methods.

Suggested Citation

  • Jinwoo Kim & F. Javier Lerch, 1997. "Why Is Programming (Sometimes) So Difficult? Programming as Scientific Discovery in Multiple Problem Spaces," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 8(1), pages 25-50, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:8:y:1997:i:1:p:25-50
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.8.1.25
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    Cited by:

    1. Jinwoo Kim & Jungpil Hahn & Hyoungmee Hahn, 2000. "How Do We Understand a System with (So) Many Diagrams? Cognitive Integration Processes in Diagrammatic Reasoning," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 11(3), pages 284-303, September.

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