Assessing the understandability of UML statechart diagrams with composite states—A family of empirical studies |
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Authors: | José A Cruz-Lemus Marcela Genero M Esperanza Manso Sandro Morasca Mario Piattini |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Technologies and Information Systems, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Paseo de la Universidad, 4, Ciudad Real, 13071, Spain 2. Departament of Computer Science, University of Valladolid, Campus Miguel Delibes, E.T.I.C., Valladolid, 47011, Spain 3. Dipartimento di Scienze della Cultura, Politiche e dell’Informazione, Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Como, Italy
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Abstract: | The main goal of this work is to present a family of empirical studies that we have carried out to investigate whether the
use of composite states may improve the understandability of UML statechart diagrams derived from class diagrams. Our hypotheses
derive from conventional wisdom, which says that hierarchical modeling mechanisms are helpful in mastering the complexity
of a software system. In our research, we have carried out three empirical studies, consisting of five experiments in total.
The studies differed somewhat as regards the size of the UML statechart models, though their size and the complexity of the
models were chosen so that they could be analyzed by the subjects within a limited time period. The studies also differed
with respect to the type of subjects (students vs. professionals), the familiarity of the subjects with the domains of the
diagrams, and other factors. To integrate the results obtained from each of the five experiments, we performed a meta-analysis
study which allowed us to take into account the differences between studies and to obtain the overall effect that the use
of composite states has on the understandability of UML statechart diagrams throughout all the experiments. The results obtained
are not completely conclusive. They cast doubts on the usefulness of composite states for a better understanding and memorizing
of UML statechart diagrams. Composite states seem only to be helpful for acquiring knowledge from the diagrams. At any rate,
it should be noted that these results are affected by the previous experience of the subjects on modeling, as well as by the
size and complexity of the UML statechart diagrams we used, so care should be taken when generalizing our results. |
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