InstructableCrowd: Creating IF-then rules via conversations with the crowd

In this paper, we introduce InstructableCrowd, a system that allows end-users to instruct the crowd to create trigger-action ("if, then") rules based on their needs. We create a framework which enables users to converse with the crowd using their phone and describe a problem which they might have. We create an interface for a crowd worker to both chat with the user and compose a rule with an "IF" part connected to the user's phone sensors (e.g. incoming emails, GPS location, meeting calendar, weather information etc.), and a "THEN" part connected to user's phone effectors (e.g. sending an email, creating an alarm, posting a tweet, etc.). The system then sends the rules created by the crowd to the user's phone in order to help the user solve his problem.