On the use of eye tracking in software traceability
Proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Traceability in Emerging Forms of Software Engineering
Rank-directed layout of UML class diagrams
Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Software Mining
The impact of identifier style on effort and comprehension
Empirical Software Engineering
Taupe: Visualizing and analyzing eye-tracking data
Science of Computer Programming
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The effect of layout in the comprehension of design pattern roles in UML class diagrams is assessed. This work replicates and extends a previous study using questionnaires but uses an eye tracker to gather additional data. The purpose of the replication is to gather more insight into the eye gaze behavior not evident from questionnaire-based methods. Similarities and differences between the studies are presented. Four design patterns are examined in two layout schemes in the context of three open source systems. Fifteen participants answered a series of eight design pattern role detection questions. Results show a significant improvement in role detection accuracy and visual effort with a certain layout for the Strategy and Observer patterns and a significant improvement in role detection time for all four patterns. Eye gaze data indicates classes participating in a design pattern act like visual beacons when they are in close physical proximity and follow the canonical layout, even though they violate some general graph aesthetics.