  This study explores the use of natural language to give instructions that
might be interpreted by Internet of Things (IoT) devices in a domestic `smart
home' environment. We start from the proposition that reminders can be
considered as a type of end-user programming, in which the executed actions
might be performed either by an automated agent or by the author of the
reminder. We conducted an experiment in which people wrote sticky notes
specifying future actions in their home. In different conditions, these notes
were addressed to themselves, to others, or to a computer agent.We analyse the
linguistic features and strategies that are used to achieve these tasks,
including the use of graphical resources as an informal visual language. The
findings provide a basis for design guidance related to end-user development
for the Internet of Things.
