Visual programming has been hindered by its focus on form rather than function. This essay explores how traditional node-and-wires paradigms fail to leverage the full potential of visual cognition. Drawing inspiration from examples like CellPond, the author argues for a new approach where the form follows function, emphasizing that effective designs should first tackle the underlying function before the visible form. This involves identifying entities, their relationships, and the system's state changes, leveraging visual perception for better program comprehension and transformation.
Table of contents
A clue from CellPondForm follows functionThree faces of functionTo invent a form, start with the functionVisual programming is not just node-and-wiresModeling problemsEntities and relationshipsComputation is figuring out the next stateA different way forwardSort: