• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
    ISSN 2287 - 1136 (Online) / ISSN 1598 - 0170 (Print)
    https://jics.or.kr/

Effect of Layout and Complexity of Class Diagram on Model Comprehension


Jin-Man Kim, Tae-Hee Kwun, Joa-Sang Lim, Journal of Internet Computing and Services, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 119-130, Feb. 2011
Full Text:
Keywords: Model Comprehension, Class Diagram Layout, Class Diagram Complexity

Abstract

As a de facto standard for system modeling, UML diagrams have been widely used in the industry. Of these, the class diagram is useful to visualize the classes and their relationships and thus directly influences the forward and reverse processes of system modeling and development. Many earlier studies have attempted to examine as to what impact the layout and complexity of the class diagram would have on the comprehension of system modeling. However, their findings have been equivocal and it is not easy to understand the effects of diagram layout. Accordingly this research relied on the guidelines of diagram layout suggested in the earlier studies and designed a 2 (layout) x 2 (complexity) factorial design to examine their impact on diagram comprehension. 47 subjects were participated in the experiment where class diagrams were provided differently in their layout and complexity. We found that a good layout was significantly more effective than the bad. Furthermore the results were significantly persistent in the complex group than the simple. However, there was no interaction effect between layout and complexity of the diagram.


Statistics
Show / Hide Statistics

Statistics (Cumulative Counts from November 1st, 2017)
Multiple requests among the same browser session are counted as one view.
If you mouse over a chart, the values of data points will be shown.


Cite this article
[APA Style]
Kim, J., Kwun, T., & Lim, J. (2011). Effect of Layout and Complexity of Class Diagram on Model Comprehension. Journal of Internet Computing and Services, 12(1), 119-130.

[IEEE Style]
J. Kim, T. Kwun, J. Lim, "Effect of Layout and Complexity of Class Diagram on Model Comprehension," Journal of Internet Computing and Services, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 119-130, 2011.

[ACM Style]
Jin-Man Kim, Tae-Hee Kwun, and Joa-Sang Lim. 2011. Effect of Layout and Complexity of Class Diagram on Model Comprehension. Journal of Internet Computing and Services, 12, 1, (2011), 119-130.