Evaluating Method Engineer Performance: an error classification and preliminary empirical study

We describe an approach to empirically test the use of metaCASE environments to model methods. Both diagrams and matrices have been proposed as a means for presenting the methods. These different paradigms may have their own effects on how easily and well users can model methods. We extend Batra's classification of errors in data modelling to cover metamodelling, and use it to measure the performance of a group of metamodellers using either diagrams or matrices. The tentative results from this pilot study confirm the usefulness of the classification, and show some interesting differences between the paradigms.

[1]  Kalle Lyytinen,et al.  MetaEdit - A Flexible Graphical Environment for Methodology Modelling , 1991, CAiSE.

[2]  Robert P. Bostrom,et al.  Comparing representations with relational and EER models , 1990, Commun. ACM.

[3]  Sjaak Brinkkemper,et al.  A Method Engineering Approach to Information Systems Development , 1993, Information System Development Process.

[4]  Sjaak Brinkkemper,et al.  Method engineering: engineering of information systems development methods and tools , 1996, Inf. Softw. Technol..

[5]  James A. Senn,et al.  Challenges and strategies for research in systems development , 1992 .

[6]  Arthur H. M. ter Hofstede,et al.  Formalization of techniques: chopping down the methodology jungle , 1992, Inf. Softw. Technol..

[7]  Steven Kelly,et al.  What's in a relationship? On distinguishing property holding and object binding , 1995, ISCO.

[8]  Steven Kelly A matrix editor for a metaCASE environment , 1994, Inf. Softw. Technol..

[9]  Richard J. Welke,et al.  The case repository: more than another database application , 1992 .

[10]  Göran Goldkuhl,et al.  Customizable CASE environments : A framework for design and evaluation , 1993 .

[11]  A. Endres,et al.  Software Development Environments and CASE Technology , 1991, Lecture Notes in Computer Science.

[12]  J. N. Brinkkemper,et al.  Formalisation of information systems modelling , 1990 .

[13]  Dinesh Batra,et al.  A framework for studying human error behavior in conceptual database modeling , 1993, Inf. Manag..

[14]  Mauri Leppänen,et al.  O/A matrix and a technique for methodology engineering , 1996, J. Syst. Softw..

[15]  J. B. Tremblay Mondrian: system for automatic generation of dataflow diagrams , 1989 .