An empirical evaluation of software documentation formats

Sheppard, Sylvia B.; Kruesi, Elizabeth; Bailey, John

doi:10.1145/800049.801767

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In the areas of software development and maintenance, several studies have found no significant correlation between years of experience and level of expertise (Sheppard et al, 1979(Sheppard et al, , 1984Littman et al, 1986). However, in at least one study of designers (Adelson and Soloway, 1985), experience, especially when the task was in a familiar domain was found to affect performance.…”

Section: The Role Of Experience: Background Knowledge or Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

A case study of software testers

Lampert

Hamilton

Soloway

1989

AIEDAM

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In an effort to learn more about how testers test code, we observed several testers while they designed tests to check a change which had been made to code. Using a case study methodology, we gathered empirical data from the ‘real world’—professional testers, and actual software products. We found that testers do share some common work patterns. These patterns can be seen in their information gathering, their use of heuristics and their construction of mental models. This work is extremely knowledge intensive, experience appears to have a useful effect. In this paper we will discuss how we collected and analysed our data. Then we will present some of our observations about how the testers gathered information, used heuristics, formed mental models and were affected by their previous experience in the course of designing their test scenarios. Based on these observations we comment on training and tools for testers.

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Section: The Role Of Experience: Background Knowledge or Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

A case study of software testers

Lampert

Hamilton

Soloway

1989

AIEDAM

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“…That year also marked the first conference that was wholly dedicated to the design and evaluation of human-computer interaction, "Human Factors in Computer Systems" held in Gaithersburg, Maryland. There, Lewis and Mack (1982) described the use of think-aloud protocols for diagnosing usability problems; Sheppard, Kruesi, and Bailey (1982) looked at both performance and preference in evaluating documentation; and Roberts and Moran (1982) introduced an "easy-to-use" method to evaluate text editors. Many believe that it was at this conference that the usability profession was born.…”

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confidence: 99%

Usability Assessment Methods

Dumas¹,

Salzman²

2006

Reviews of Human Factors and Ergonomics

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Usability assessment methods evolved from traditional human factors/ergonomics techniques beginning in the early 1980s. Following a brief historical introduction, we describe the four major categories of these methods: usability testing; usability inspections; surveys, interviews, and focus groups; and field methods. We describe the basic techniques of these methods, their strengths and weaknesses, their measurement characteristics, their validity and reliability, and how they are being applied to product development and assessment. We discuss the new challenges to usability assessment: (a) using the methods thoughtfully, (b) expanding the scope of assessment beyond usability and productivity to affect end user experience, (c) and emphasizing design solutions to problems in addition to simply finding the problems themselves.

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“…Several studies have been carried out on the effectiveness of graphic representations of processes on programmer interpretation of system specifications under the hypothesis that presentation formats affect comprehension (Wright & Reid, 1973, Brooke & Duncan, 1980). An experiment that presented programmers with design specifications in three spatial formats ± sequential, hierarchical and branching flow charts ± indicated that the branching spatial arrangement combined with a succinct program design language significantly facilitated design interpretation (Sheppard et al, 1982). However, a comparison between textual and graphical presentations of three-level nested program structures concluded that graphic presentations were not necessarily more accessible, comprehensible or memorable than textual presentations (Petre, 1995).…”

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confidence: 99%

The effect of graphic style on data model interpretation

Nordbotten

Crosby

1999

Information Systems Journal

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Abstract. Graphic data models are commonly used as a tool for presentation of information structures in the design, implementation, use and maintenance of the databases that support information systems. The methods proposed for database design assume that the use of graphic data models will enhance understanding of system specifications by both the end‐users and the implementers of the system. For this assumption to hold, the information presented in the graphic data model must be readily comprehensible so that the design, represented by the model, can be confirmed and implemented correctly. The lack of standard representations for graphic models has led to a variety of graphic styles. To date, there has been little focus on studying the effect graphic style has on model comprehension. We have studied the effect of three graphic styles proposed for data models on model legibility and interpretation. Our study shows a significant variation in model interpretation that can be attributed to the graphic syntax used. Graphic style appears to influence which model elements are included in the interpretation, as well as the way data models are read.

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An empirical evaluation of software documentation formats

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

A case study of software testers

A case study of software testers

Usability Assessment Methods

The effect of graphic style on data model interpretation

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