SHF: Medium: Collaborative Research: Information Foraging Theory: From Scientific Principles to Engineering Practice

现代软件系统是出了名的庞大和复杂，通常由成百上千个相互连接的模块和数以百万计的源代码行组成。因此，软件开发人员浪费了相当多的时间来尝试查找和获取代码中的信息。为了解决这个问题，这个研究项目将调查一种科学理论来描述开发人员如何去寻找这些信息。然后，该项目将使用扩展的理论来确定帮助开发人员更有效地查找信息的方法，并在此过程中提高他们的生产率。这一贡献将反过来通过为今天的？S软件工具的构建者提供新的实用方法来将这一科学理论应用到他们的工具中，从而减少今天？S软件开发项目所需的工作量。本项目特别将(1)扩展信息挖掘理论来描述学习如何影响开发人员？通过代码和相关构件导航，(2)生成以理论为基础的设计模式，解释如何设计帮助开发人员获取信息的工具，(3)开发使工具构建者能够应用这些模式的设计方法，以及(4)评估(1)-(3)的有效性和有效性。更广泛的影响将包括：(A)帮助软件工具建造者、专业软件开发人员、研究生、本科生和高中生的教与学，(B)扩大来自代表性不足群体的学生的参与，(C)制作由设计模式和培训材料组成的公开可用的基础设施，(D)通过出版物、软件和研讨会传播成果，以及(E)为未来旨在培训开发人员和设计供其使用的工具的努力提供科学基础。

Modern software systems are notoriously large and complex, often made up of hundreds and thousands of interconnected modules, and lines of source code that can number in the millions. Consequently, software developers waste a considerable portion of their time trying to find and get to information in that code. To address this problem, this research project will investigate a scientific theory to describe how developers go about seeking this information. The project will then use the expanded theory to identify ways of helping developers to more efficiently find information, and in the process, increase their productivity. This contribution will in turn be put to practical use by providing to builders of today?s software tools new practical ways to apply this scientific theory to their tools, so as to reduce the effort required in today?s software development projects.In particular, this project will (1) expand Information Foraging Theory to describe how learning affects developers? navigation through code and related artifacts, (2) generate theory-grounded design patterns explaining how to design tools that aid developers?information foraging, (3) develop a design method enabling tool builders to apply these patterns, and (4) evaluate the validity and effectiveness of (1)-(3). Broader impacts will include (a) helping with teaching and learning for software tool builders, professional software developers, graduate students, undergraduates and high schoolers, (b) broadening participation of students from underrepresented groups, (c) producing publicly available infrastructure consisting of design patterns and training materials,(d) disseminating results via publications, software, and workshops, and (e) providing a scientific foundation for future efforts aimed at training developers and designing tools for their use.