The use of object-oriented models in requirements engineering: a field study
ICIS '99 Proceedings of the 20th international conference on Information Systems
Systematic Transformation of Functional Analysis Model into OO Design and Implementation
IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering
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Interest in object-oriented analysis (OOA) and object-oriented design (OOD) has increased over the last several years. Proponents of OOA and OOD have called the shift to these methods "revolutionary" and have cited a number of impressive claims with respect to their use. However, empirical research investigating these claims remains in its infancy. Moreover, an examination of the literature reveals inconclusive and often conflicting results for OOA and OOD methods relative to traditional data and/or procedural techniques.This research study was conducted to test theoretical hypotheses designed to better understand the findings of previous research. This paper presents the results of an empirical study which examined both experienced and novice systems analysts using both procedural and object-oriented techniques. The study used a 2X2X2 repeated measures partial factorial design with experience and method order as between subject variables and analysis method as the within subjects variable. This research examined whether experience in using procedural methods helped or hindered performance using OOA and compared procedural and OOA methods on the subjective mental workload induced.A cognitive processing model adapted from DeSanctis (1984) and Huchins, Hollan, and Norman (1985) provided the theoretical framework for this study. Dependent variables include subjective mental workload, time to perform task, and attitudinal measures. While some of these dependent variables have been used in past research, we believe this is the first time that subjective mental workload (SMW) (common in the human factors literature) has been examined in an IS context. Our results indicate that both novice and experienced subjects demonstrate higher SMW when using OOA, however, as a group, novices prefer object-oriented techniques and find these techniques easier as compared to experienced subjects.