Supporting gardeners to plan domestic watering: A case study of designing an 'everyday simulation

Abstract

We describe a project to design an internet-based application to support gardeners reasoning about the water demands and water supply for their gardens. This application is identified here as an instance of 'everyday simulation'; implying the use of simulation techniques for non-specialist users. Design strategies for everyday simulations are discussed including: the characteristic of simulations of inverting inputs and outputs; simulation by refinement; the embodiment of material constraints; and the educational aspect of simulation for non-specialists.