XML as a tool for domain-specific languages

University of Kansas

23 September 2011

http://www.blackmesatech.com/2011/09/kansas-23/


Overview

Why do IT projects fail?

Ghosh 2011:
It's common knowledge that most projects that fail do so because they lack a proper communications structure between the business users and the implementers. The difference in terminology used by the various stakeholders of the project hinders meaningful collaboration.

Bridging the gap

Make the code readable
  • Cobol
  • literate programming

If you make it possible to write programs in English, you will discover that programmers cannot write English.

Try from the other side

Allow the user to write the code
  • Fortran
  • macro languages
  • tools for ‘power users’
  • spreadsheets

It doesn't matter what your degree is — if you can write a for-loop, behind your back they call you ‘the programmer’.