Authors: Binny M. Samuel, Merete Hvalshagen
Tags: 2014, cardinality constraint, lconceptual model, narrative
This study examined the comprehension of cardinality constraints in conceptual models. The aim was to enhance the comprehension by supplementing the conceptual models with narratives. The narratives provided verbal descriptions of some, but not all, of the cardinality constraints depicted in the conceptual model. We conducted a lab experiment to test the effect of the narratives on comprehension of the cardinality constraints. We tested this on two different groups: one group that had received training in the conceptual model notation (Entity-Relationship model), and one group that only had received general training on cardinality. Our findings suggest that narratives had an overall positive effect on comprehension of the cardinality constraints depicted in the conceptual model. The effect was greatest with people who had not received any training on the ER notation. The effect also varied across the different types of cardinality constraints.
Cite as:
Hvalshagen M. and Samuel B.M., (2014). “Aiding the Comprehension of Cardinality Constraints with Narratives,” in AIS SIGSAND, Saint Louis, MO, United States, May 31 – June 1, 2014.
