Browsing by Author "Mayo, Kevin A."
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- Communicational MeasurementMayo, Kevin A.; Henry, Sallie M. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1991-05-01)A software system is an aggregate of communicating modules. The interfaces supporting module (procedure, etc.) communication characterize the system. Therefore, understanding these interfaces (areas of communication) gives a better description of system complexity. Understanding in an empirical sense implies measuring, and measuring interfaces involves examining both the communicational environment and the exchanged data. There are several different measures associated with the communication environment. Obviously, the structure or nesting level at the communication ping is very interesting. The need to measure the data communicated also raises some very interesting questions concerned with data type and expressional form. This paper reports on the efforts at Virginia Tech to measure, and thus capture, the complexities of software interfaces. Analyzing an Ada system of 85,000 lines of code validated the measures proposed here. The results of this research are very encouraging.
- Definition and evaluation of a synthesis-oriented, user-centered task analysis technique: the Task Mapping ModelMayo, Kevin A. (Virginia Tech, 1994-12-15)A software system is an aggregate of communicating modules, and there are several different types of communication among these modules (direct, indirect, and global). Therefore, understanding the interfaces among these modules can characterize the system and are a major factor in the system's complexity. These interfaces could possibly also show and predict inadequacies in the reliability and maintenance of a system. Interfaces are defined early in the development life cycle at a detailed or high level design stage. Knowing that these interfaces exist and their structure leads us to measure them for an indication of the designed interface complexity. This designed interface complexity can then be utilized for software quality assurance by allowing users to choose from among several designs. With data provided by an Ada software developer, the interface complexity metrics correlated with established metrics, but also found complex interfaces that established metrics missed.
- Definition and validation of interface complexity metricsMayo, Kevin A. (Virginia Tech, 1989)A software system is an aggregate of communicating modules, and there are several different types of communication among these modules (direct, indirect, and global). Therefore, understanding the interfaces among these modules can characterize the system and are a major factor in the system's complexity. These interfaces could possibly also show and predict inadequacies in the reliability and maintenance of a system. Interfaces are defined early in the development life cycle at a detailed or high level design stage. Knowing that these interfaces exist and their structure leads us to measure them for an indication of the designed interface complexity. This designed interface complexity can then be utilized for software quality assurance by allowing users to choose from among several designs. With data provided by an Ada software developer, the interface complexity metrics correlated with established metrics, but also found complex interfaces that established metrics missed.
- First Experiences with TMMMayo, Kevin A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1993)The Task Mapping Model (TMM) is a human-computer interaction technique that supports situational analyses to derive new design requirements from formative evaluation findings. While the TMM methodologies and formalisms are currently being developed and validated, this paper reports some informal first experiences and findings. Two developers who are presently working on independent non-trivial interfaces were asked to use TMM and comment on it. The developers found benefit in TM analyses, albeit in different ways, and their views were captured with an informal subjective post-analysis survey and reported here.
- A Framework for Precise, Reusable Task AbstractionsHartson, H. Rex; Mayo, Kevin A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1994-03-01)This paper is about modeling human-computer interaction for better understanding of interaction, leading to better designs and design representations. We argue for a structured approach to task abstractions that includes semantics, as well as a framework and vocabulary for abstraction. Our approach imposes a notational consistency that aids designer-implementer communication. Including semantic considerations allows designers to specify interaction so that implementers can properly support the connection between illusion and reality.
- A Grassroots Approach to Graduate Teaching Assistant MentoringMayo, Kevin A.; Wake, Steven A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1993)Graduate students, whether master's or doctoral candidates, benefit greatly from their academic experiences. However, graduate school is not limited to course work and research, but it also includes teaching experiences as graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). Although GTAs are technically proficient in course materials, other factors can cause teaching experiences to go awry for them, their students, or the course supervisor. These factors arise out of a need for quality training on issues including pedagogy, interaction resolution, organizational concerns, and professional matters. This paper provides a grassroots approach to improve teachine techniques through GTA mentoring. GTAs are encouraged, with materials supplied here, to seek out and consult with more experienced GTAs who will serve as their mentors.
- Measurement of ADA Throughout the Software Development Life CycleChappell, Bryan L.; Henry, Sallie M.; Mayo, Kevin A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1989)Quality enhancement has now become a major factor in software production. Software metrics have demonstrated their ability to predict source code complexity at design time and to predict maintainability of a software system from source code. Obviously metrics can assist software developers in the enhancement of quality. Tools which automatically generate metrics for Ada are increasing in popularity. This paper describes an existing tool which produces software metrics for Ada that may be used throughout the software development life cycle. This tool, while calculating established metrics, also calculates a new structure metric that is designed to capture communication interface complexity. Measuring designs written using Ada as a PDL allows designers early feedback on possible problem areas in addition to giving direction on testing strategies.
- A Methodology for Synthesis of Interface Design RequirementsMayo, Kevin A.; Hartson, H. Rex (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1993)This report is no longer available - TR-93-20 replaces it.
- A Reliability Model Incorporating Software Quality FactorsHenry, Sallie M.; Kafura, Dennis G.; Mayo, Kevin A.; Yerneni, A.; Wake, Steven A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1988-05-01)In this paper we describe our initial work on a long-term project to develop and validate a reliability model and a new class of software complexity metrics which are related to this model. In contrast to previous "black box" approaches, the reliability model is novel because it incorporates knowledge about the system in the form of quantitative software complexity metrics. While the initial model uses existing software metrics a parallel effort in this project is investigating new classes of metrics, interface and dynamic metrics, which are useful in their own right but are also of particular relevance to the reliability model. The initial definitions of both the model and the metrics are given along with a description of the next research milestones.
- Static and Dynamic Software Quality Metric ToolsMayo, Kevin A.; Wake, Steven A.; Henry, Sallie M. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1990)The ability to detect and predict poor software quality is of major importance to software engineers, managers, and quality assurance organizations. Poor software quality leads to increased development costs and expensive maintenance. With so much attention on exacerbated budgetary constraints, a viable alternative is necessary. Software quality metrics are designed for this purpose. Metrics measure aspects of code or PDL representations, and can be collected and used throughout the life cycle [RAMC85].
- Synthesis-Oriented Situational Analysis as an Alternative to Analytic Evaluation for Iterative User Interface DesignHartson, H. Rex; Mayo, Kevin A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1993)This report is no longer available - TR-93-20 replaces it.
- Synthesis-Oriented Situational Analysis in User Interface DesignMayo, Kevin A.; Hartson, H. Rex (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1993)Analytic evaluation is a term describing a class of techniques for examining a representation of a user interface design, discovering design flaws and/or predicting user task performance. In our work with analytic evaluation, we have observed limitations on the effectiveness and efficiency of analytic techniques for formative evaluation supporting the iterative design and re-design cycle. Here we support those observations with arguments based on theoretical limitations of the models underlying these techniques. By way of comparison we discuss desirable characteristics for an alternative approach. In our search for such an alternative, we have developed the Task Mapping Model, a substantively different approach to analysis for supporting the user interface design. We briefly describe the Task Mapping Model and give some examples illustrating its desirable characteristics.
- Task Mapping Model (TMM) Analysis ManualMayo, Kevin A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1993)This guide presents the task mapping model (TMM), a snythesis/analysis methodology for aiding the interface specialist in designing interfaces with better usability. Briefly, TMM describes necessary knowledge for user task completion, and analyzes if this knowledge is supported by the user or interface. This framework consists of various abstract levels of task decomposition and description. TMM focuses on the mappings users make among domains (during task performance) to provide designers with specific information about task structure and user knowledge requirements. This model allows descriptions of tasks using hierarchical decomposition coupled with abstraction of user knowledge requirements.