PPIG 2003 - 15th Annual Workshop
Does the Empirical Evidence Support Software Vis ualisation?
Pamela O'Shea, Chris Exton
Abstract: Previous experiments and empirical studies in the software comprehension field have been criticised by skeptics, for example [Sheil 1981]. Although it has been twenty-two years since his publication, many issues still need to be addressed to this day. We are left with no definitive catalogue of proof that either confirms or denies the usefulness of Software Visualisation in the field of software engineering. This paper will discuss some empirical studies and experiments from the past, in order to present future researchers and evaluators of Software Visualisation tools with a guideline as to how we can learn from both the good and bad traits of past experiences.