Understanding User-Bot Interactions for Small-Scale Automation in Open-Source Development
Dongyu Liu, Micah J. Smith, Kalyan Veeramachaneni
Abstract
Small-scale automation tools, or "bots," have been widely deployed in open-source software development to support manual project maintenance tasks. Though interactions between these bots and human developers can have significant effects on user experience, previous research has instead mostly focused on project outcomes. We reviewed existing small-scale bots in wide use on GitHub. After an in-depth qualitative and quantitative evaluation, we compiled several important design principles for human-bot interaction in this context. Following the requirements, we further propose a workflow to support bot developers.
Topics & Concepts
WorkflowComputer scienceAutomationContext (archaeology)Scale (ratio)Software engineeringOpen sourceHuman–computer interactionUser storySoftwareWorld Wide WebSoftware developmentDatabaseEngineeringOperating systemPaleontologyPhysicsQuantum mechanicsBiologyMechanical engineeringAI in Service InteractionsMobile Crowdsensing and CrowdsourcingPersonal Information Management and User Behavior