PPIG 2000 - 12th Annual Workshop
Cognitive Dimensions – An Experience Report
Maria Kutar, Carol Britton, Jonathan Wilson
Abstract: The selection of appropriate notations for the specification of interactive systems is an important factor in successful system development. This creates a need for evaluation techniques which allow us to assess a notation’s suitability for use in a particular setting. The cognitive dimensions framework provides an analytical tool for the evaluation of information artefacts, including specification languages. This paper presents our research into the evaluation of a real-time temporal logic, TRIO¹ using the cognitive dimensions framework. We show the results of the cognitive dimensions analysis, and discuss our experience of using the framework. The research suggests that the framework may be used not only to create a usability profile for a notation, but can also assist with determining whether a notation has appropriate semantics for use in a particular situation.