The Details of Conceptual Modelling Notations are Important - A Comparison of Relationship Normative Language

Hitchman, Steve

doi:10.17705/1cais.00910

Cited by 24 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The main threats to the validity of this study are 1) the fact that the experiment was conducted with students and with no IDE (on paper) and 2) the size of the models used, relatively small. From them, the use of novice modellers is the most worrying, since existing literature points at the idea that novices may be specially sensitive to the visual form of notations used [68]. Therefore, our next step will be to replicate this experiment using the OOH4RIA IDE, with more complex models and more experienced developers.…”

Section: Discussion Conclusion and Future Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of model notations on the productivity of domain modelling: An empirical study

Luján-Mora

Meliá

Hermida

2019

Information and Software Technology

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Context: The intensive use of models is a cornerstone of the Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) paradigm and its claimed gains in productivity. However, in order to maximize these productivity gains, it is important to adequately select the modeling formalism to be used. Unfortunately, the MDE community still lacks empirical data to support such choice. Objective: This paper aims at contributing to filling this gap by reporting an empirical study in which two types of domain model notations, graphical vs. textual, are compared regarding their efficiency and effectiveness during the creation of domain models. Method : A quasi-experiment was designed in which 127 participants were randomly classified in four groups. Then, each group was randomly assigned to a different combination of notation and application. All the participants were students enrolled in the 6th semester of the Computer Engineering degree at the University of Alicante. The statistical procedure applied was a two-factor multivariate analysis of variance (two-way MANOVA). Results: The data shows a statistically significant effect of notation type on the efficiency and effectiveness of domain modelling activities, independently from the application being modelled. Conclusions: The joint examination of our results and those of previous studies suggests that, in MDE, different tasks call for different types of notations. Therefore, MDE environments should offer both textual and graphical notations, and assist developers in selecting the most suitable one depending on the task being carried out. In particular, our data suggest that domain model creation tasks are better supported by graphical notations. To augment the validity of the conclusions of this paper, the experiment should be replicated with different subject profiles, notations, domain model sizes, tasks and application types.

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Section: Discussion Conclusion and Future Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of model notations on the productivity of domain modelling: An empirical study

Luján-Mora

Meliá

Hermida

2019

Information and Software Technology

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“…Graphical symbol include "1D graphic elements (lines), 2D graphic elements (areas), 3D graphic elements (volumes), textual elements (labels) and spatial relationships" [15, p. 757]. Hitchman [16] has noted that the development of modeling notations often neglects theoretical considerations and that authors sometimes document no reasons or design rationale for choosing particular symbols. When considering the use of research models with selfinvented graphical elements in research articles as an implicit proposal of a modeling notation, we could gain a similar impression: there is an unconscious design culture of research models in the information systems (IS) discipline, which researchers do not explicitly reflect upon.…”

Section: Graphical Research Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Graphical Research Models in the Information Systems Discipline

Figl

Kiessling²,

Miniukovich

2020

Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

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Graphical models facilitate communicating hypothesized or tested relationships between variables and are welcome in information systems publications. However, insufficient knowledge exists about design conventions for such models, lowering their communicative effectiveness. This paper investigates how graphical research models are used in the information systems literature. Theoretically, the article bears upon the perspective of prototypicality and cognitively effective design of conceptual modeling notations. Based on an analysis of 134 research models from 589 articles in information systems journals, we tentatively demonstrate prototypical features of visual research models and outline many unique graphical variations. We develop a set of hypotheses on how prototypicality influences preferences for research models and their comprehensibility and describe how we intend to test these hypotheses empirically. A broader goal of this research is to develop an effective modeling notation for research models to support researchers in constructing unambiguous visual models for their research.

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“…Cognitive effectiveness in the software engineering notations domain refers to ''the speed, ease and accuracy with which a representation can be processed by the human mind'' [38]. However, notation design has constantly been made subjectively without providing any insight into the design process [36,30,24]. While ostensibly an issue of aesthetics and taste, notation design can greatly affect its cognitive effectiveness.…”

Section: Motivationmentioning

confidence: 99%