Authors:

Petre, M. & Green, T.R.G.

Reference:

Year of publication:

1993

CBU number:

3012

Abstract:

This paper suggests that experience influences what 'readers' of graphical representations look at and hence what they see, so that readership skills - both perceptual and interpretive - for graphical notations must be learned. It draws on results from two sets of empirical studies: observational studies of expert hardware designers using electronics schematics, and experiments comparing readability of textual and graphical programming notations. Less experienced users appear unable to exploit (or even notice) the graphical cues that might help them. The paper discusses 'secondary notion', the 'match-mismatch hypothesis' and a model of the programmer as an 'active reader', in order to shed some light on what distinguishes expert from novice behaviour. It observes that clarity in a representation may well rely on good use of features that are not formally part of the notation, and it concludes that the importance of training and experience with respect to the use of graphical notations has been underestimated.