No More Working In The Dark - visualisation for empowerment & efficiency

Visual programming allows programs to be treated as visual objects. Visualisation techniques within program development are tools for non-specialist or novice users to begin to understand what is being computed. This workshop aims to present ways to open the “blackbox of code”. The boundary between users and programmers has become more blurred with the introduction of powerful tools that end users are expected to control or configure. This workshop will explore the visual and interactive techniques than help effectively bridge the boundary.

Automated and configured processes are a common feature in many office based manufacturing environments and understanding and effectively controlling automated processes can be risky. Significant computing power has become common place and the potential impact of errors has increased. This workshop will look at visualisation techniques that can help reduce the risks associated with mis-configuration. This workshop will explore the different ways in which non-expert users can see and understand what they’re instructing a computer to do.

A toolset such as Quando has excellent potential for use in many areas, especially where programmers and non-programming skilled end users wish to change the behaviour of their software controlled devices. Quando can allow real interactions to be explored and experimented with; it can be used as a way of rapidly producing MVPs, especially those reliant on the latest technologies. It can also be used to allow end users to change the behaviour of the software they use, such as within the Internet of Things, smart devices, mobile apps and browser applications.

Within the workshop, attendees will be able to create interactions that respond to end user behaviour, including manipulating physical objects and touch less, leap motion, control. Visual Blocks can also be used to play audio, video, show images and text, including physical space based interactions allowing sound to attract end users to different locations - encouraging them to further explore a physical space.

Visual blocks have also been developed for robot based speech, speech recognition, movement and physical robot interaction.

This two day workshop (3rd & 4th July 2018) is relevant to:

• No programming skill is needed, so it is suitable for non-programmers and is still relevant to programmers and developers wishing to ensure that the users' of their products can manage configuration or if they are looking for new ways of coding

Schedule:

Tuesday 3rd July

9:30am - Registration

10am - Introduction

11:30am - EQUS... A Starting Point

12:30pm - Lunch

1pm - Evaluating and Frameworks for Evaluation

3pm - Quando

4pm - Q&A & Homework

5pm - Close

Wednesday 4th July

9:30am - Introduction

10am - Affective Graphs

11:30am - Open Piping

12:30pm - Lunch

1pm - Q&A, Hands-On with Different Tools

3pm - Client Interest & Follow On

5pm - Close