Impact of Metaproperties on the Usability of Graphical Modeling Languages

Abstract

In this chapter the impact of metamodel properties on usability attributes in the domain of graphical modeling languages is analyzed. The study is based on a model of hypotheses including two structural models depending on particular user scenario. The models were developed under consideration of psychological cognitive theories and usability theory. Survey data is collected and the causal relations hypotheses are assessed using a structure equation modeling approach. The outcome of this study shows important findings for practical and theoretical issues of how differing modeling languages are influencing usability attributes on causal stages in the modeling domain. The main focus of this chapter is to define differences and similarities of how language metaproperties impact on usability attributes in model development and model interpretation scenarios. This chapter aims to answer the research question Q2 “How do different modeling languages impact on different usability attributes” [Schalles et al., 2011b].