PLIERS: A Process that Integrates User-Centered Methods into Programming Language Design

Programming language design requires making many usability-related design decisions. However, existing HCI methods can be impractical to apply to progranuning languages: languages have high iteration costs, programmers require significant learning time, and user performance has high variance. To address these problems, we adapted both formative and summative HCI methods to make them more suitable for programming language design. We integrated these methods into a new process, PLIERS, for designing programming languages in a user-centered way. We assessed PLIERS by using it to design two new programming languages. Glacier extends Java to enable programmers to express immutability properties effectively and easily. Obsidian is a language for blockchains that includes verification of critical safety properties. Empirical studies showed that the PLIERS process resulted in languages that could be used effectively by many programmers and revealed additional opportunities for language improvement.

Automated summary

Designing programming languages requires consideration of usability, which can be challenging due to high costs and learning time. The PLIERS process, which adapts traditional HCI methods for programming language design, was evaluated by designing Glacier and Obsidian languages. Empirical studies showed that languages designed using the PLIERS process were effective and revealed opportunities for language improvement.