Intuitive Understanding of Domain-Specific Modeling Languages: Proposition and Application of an Evaluation Technique

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Authors: Christine Schrüffer, Dimitris Karagiannis, Dominik Bork

Tags: 2019, conceptual modeling

For correct utilization of a modeling language and comprehension of a conceptual model, the graphical representation, i.e., the notation, is of paramount importance. A graphical notation, especially for domain-specific languages, should be aligned to the knowledge, beliefs, and expectations of the intended model users. More concretely, the notation of a modeling language should support computational offloading for the human user by increasing perceptual processing (i.e., seeing) and reducing cognitive processing (i.e., thinking and understanding). Consequently, method engineers should design intuitively understandable notations. However, there is a lack of support in evaluating the intuitiveness of a notation. This paper proposes an empirical evaluation technique for bridging that research gap. The technique comprises three independent experiments: term association, notation association, and case study. Usefulness of the technique is shown by an exemplary evaluation of a business continuity management modeling language.

Read the full paper here: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-33223-5_26