An Attempt at Semiotic Interpretation of Using One's Own Activity History~On the Subject of Programming Support~

Abstract

This study aims to elucidate the significance and efficacy of leveraging personal history information to support intellectual activities, focusing on programming. Through a first-person research approach, we observed users' programming activities, developing HALO (History-based Augmenting Learning Opportunities) Tools. HALO comprises tools for collecting and externalizing work histories associated with programming. This paper details the impact of one's work history on programming, emphasizing the design and prototyping of HALO Tools. Peirce's semiotics is introduced as the theoretical basis for utilizing history in intellectual activity support. First-person observations, interpreted using Peirce's semiotics, indicate that self-history acts as an indexical symbol, prompting users to recall past programming situations and contexts.