CONTINUOUS API-DESIGN FOR SOFTWARE ECOSYSTEMS Imed Hammouda, Eric - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Imed Hammouda, Eric Knauss, Leonardo Costantini

CONTINUOUS API-DESIGN FOR SOFTWARE ECOSYSTEMS

RCoSE ‘15

API value chain

In the context

• f a software

ecosystem

ü Attract

developers

ü Attract

end-users

Background: APIs and Cognitive Dimension

¨

Jacobson, D., Brail, G., and Woods, D. APIs: A Strategy Guide. O’Reilly Media, 2011.

¨

Stylos, J., Clarke, S., and Myers, B. (2006) Comparing API Design Choices

with Usability. Carnegie Mellon University, Microsoft.

¨

Green, T. R. G., Petre, M. . Usability Analysis of Visual Programming

Environments: A Cognitive Dimensions Framework. Journal of Visual

Languages and Computing 7: 131174, 1996

¨

Piccioni, M., Furia, C. A., Meyer, B. (2013) An Empirical Study of API Usability. ESEM (International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement); Baltimore, Maryland (USA).

Conceptual Flow

Prioritize Select Assess Ecosystem Personas Ecosystem Elements Fitness dimensions Business drivers Ecosystem strategy Tradeoffs Sensitivity points Risks Non-risk Risk themes Business scenarios (Goals) Ecosystem characteristics impacts Ecosystem Scope Relevant Actors & Relationships distilled into

Conceptual Flow

Prioritize Select Assess Ecosystem Personas Ecosystem Elements Fitness dimensions Business drivers Ecosystem strategy Tradeoffs Sensitivity points Risks Non-risk Risk themes Business scenarios (Goals) Ecosystem characteristics impacts Ecosystem Scope Relevant Actors & Relationships distilled into

Platform

Opport. Hobby Developer Systematic Student Developer

Write Extension

Ecosystemability Assessment

Business Scenario (Goal)

Ecosystemability Assessment

¨ Started with Cognitive Dimension

Framework (12 Dimensions)

¤ Some Cognitive (e.g. Learning Style) ¤ Some Technical (e.g. Consistency) ¤ Many missing (e.g. Testing, Security)

Fitness Dimension

Ecosystemability Assessment

¨ Sensitivity point: An API decision that is critical for

achieving a particular fitness dimension.

¨ Tradeoff point: A decision about platform API that affects

more than one fitness dimension or persona (possibly in

• pposite ways).

¨ Risk: A decision about platform API that may lead to

undesirable consequences.

¨ Non risk: A decision about platform API that is deemed

safe.

¨ Risk theme: A general concern of a group of interrelated

risks in platform API, assigned its own risk value.

Output Concepts

Assessment Tool

Example

• Network

attached camera

• Developer

adds capability

Conclusion

Thank you!

Eric Knauss eric.knauss@cse.gu.se @oerich