Display-based problems in spreadsheets: a critical incident and a design remedy

Author

Hendry, David G.

Author_Institution

Sch. of Comput. & Math. Sci., Robert Gordon Univ., Aberdeen, UK

fYear

1995

fDate

5-9 Sep 1995

Firstpage

284

Lastpage

290

Abstract

A critical incident is reported where a discretionary user needed to partition the spreadsheet grid into an arithmetic series of blocks and apply a function to each, but was unable to devise a solution. The incident is first scrutinized to explicate the reasons for the failure. Then, a new method for progressional computation on tabular displays is described and reviewed for usability. The method increases the expressive power of cell referencing but also simplifies the notation. The spreadsheet is shown to be a surprisingly poor artefact for three classes of display-based problem

Keywords

computer displays; functions; human factors; problem solving; series (mathematics); spreadsheet programs; user interfaces; visual programming; arithmetic series; block function; cell referencing; cognitive dimensions; critical incident; design remedy; discretionary user; display-based problems; expressive power; failure; grid partitioning; human factors; interaction style; programming by demonstration; progressional computation; spreadsheets; tabular displays; usability; visual programming; Bridges; Computer languages; Digital arithmetic; Displays; Grid computing; Human factors; Problem-solving; Programming environments; Usability; White spaces;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Visual Languages, Proceedings., 11th IEEE International Symposium on

Conference_Location

Darmstadt

ISSN

1049-2615

Print_ISBN

0-8186-7045-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/VL.1995.520820

Filename

520820