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百万行的源代码组成。因此，软件开发人员浪费了相当大的一部分时间试图找到并获取代码中的信息。为了解决这个问题，这个研究项目将研究一个科学理论来描述开发人员如何寻找这些信息。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力。这一贡献将反过来付诸实际使用，提供给今天的建设者？的软件工具新的实用方法，将这一科学理论应用到他们的工具，从而减少在今天所需的努力？特别是，这个项目将（1）扩展信息搜寻理论来描述学习如何影响开发人员？通过代码和相关工件导航，（2）生成基于理论的设计模式，解释如何设计帮助开发人员的工具？信息搜寻，（3）开发一种设计方法，使工具构建者能够应用这些模式，（4）评估（1）-（3）的有效性和有效性。更广泛的影响将包括：（a）帮助软件工具制造者、专业软件开发人员、研究生、本科生和高中生的教学，（B）扩大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基础设施，（d）通过出版物、软件和讲习班传播成果，以及（e）为今后旨在培训开发人员和设计供其使用的工具的工作提供科学基础。

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.