David P. Tegarden

A software complexity model of object-oriented systems

Abstract A model for the emerging area of software complexity measurement of OO systems is required for the integration of measures defined by various researchers and to provide a framework for continued investigation. We present a model, based in the literature of OO systems and software complexity for structured systems. The model defines the software complexity of OO systems at the variable, method, object, and system levels. At each level, measures are identified that account for the cohesion and coupling aspects of the system. Users of OO techniques perceptions of complexity provide support for the levels and measures.

Group cognitive mapping: a methodology and system for capturing and evaluating managerial and organizational cognition

Organizations would like to capture and merge the perceptions of key individuals into an organizational memory. Various cognitive mapping approaches have been used to identify and capture these perceptions. However, merging the cognitive maps of individuals into a collective cognitive map to represent the shared perceptions has been problematic. Due to the merging problems, the creation of collective cognitive maps is impractical for many organizational situations. In this paper, we describe and demonstrate a cognitive mapping based methodology and system that eliminates the merging problem, supports data collection, and provides data analyses to uncover both individual and collective cognitive maps.

Effectiveness of traditional software metrics for object-oriented systems

An acceptable measure of software quality must quantify software complexity. Traditional software metrics such as lines of code, software science and cyclomatic complexity are investigated as possible indicators of complexity of object-oriented systems. This research reports the effects of polymorphism and inheritance on the complexity of object-oriented systems are measured by the traditional metrics. The results of this research indicate that traditional metrics are applicable to the measurement of the complexity of object-oriented systems.<<ETX>>

Cognitive activities in OO development

The cognitive activities performed by systems designers during systems development include problem understanding, problem decomposition and solution specification. One aspect of object-oriented (OO) approaches to system design that appeals to many adopting organizations is the purported naturalness, i.e. the consistency of OO approaches with these cognitive activities of problem solving. Essentially, OO aims to abstract components of the problem of system development to a high level that parallels problem solving in the world the system represents. In other words, knowing how a problem is solved in the real world informs one about how the OO system solves the problem. Thus, the OO development process and the resulting OO model are believed to be consistent with innate cognitive activities and consistent with the problem/real world, respectively. A cognitive mapping method was used to ask graduate students experienced with OO techniques about their perceptions of what is complex (difficult to understand) about OO systems. Their responses include a set of concepts, categories of similar concepts and cognitive maps that reveal what they believe is difficult about using OO techniques. Evaluating these perceptions in terms of the cognitive activities of system design reveals problem decomposition was perceived as the activity that caused the most difficulties related to learning OO techniques. Problem understanding was the goal of the participants, while the solution activity ranked lower in importance but contained many issues essential to systems development and influenced problem understanding.

Using control charts to monitor financial reporting of public companies

Abstract There is currently much being written about increasing the frequency and timeliness of financial reporting. Comments frequently support the desirability and question the feasibility of continuous reporting. Under the current reporting/assurance paradigm, if companies report continuously, auditors must monitor and audit on a continuous basis. Current audit standards generally address the outcomes, rather than the detailed procedures that the auditor must follow to meet the objectives of the audit. The purpose of this paper is to propose and demonstrate a technique for monitoring continuous financial information using control charts of accounting information. In this study, financial data were collected and used to implement control charts. Part of the selected companies had known errors, while others had no known errors. The resulting control charts and common interpretation rules identified potential systematic problems only in the companies with known errors. The authors suggest that when continuous data become available, charts similar with these can be used in conjunction with statistical and analytical techniques to detect signals that financial processes are not in control. Refinements of this technique should assist those internal and external to organizations, who are concerned with the reliability of information produced and reported by the organization.

Using Cognitive Fit Theory to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Information Visualizations: An Example Using Quality Assurance Data

Cognitive fit theory, along with the proximity compatibility principle, is investigated as a basis to evaluate the effectiveness of information visualizations to support a decision-making task. The task used in this study manipulates varying levels of task complexity for quality control decisions in a high-volume discrete manufacturing environment. The volume of process monitoring and quality control data produced in this type of environment can be daunting. Todays managers need effective decision support tools to sort through the morass of data in a timely fashion to make critical decisions on product and process quality.

Identifying Ontological Modifications to the Resource-Event-Agent (REA) Enterprise Ontology Using a Bunge-Wand-Weber Ontological Evaluation

ABSTRACT: A Bunge-Wand-Weber (BWW) ontological evaluation was performed to evaluate the REA enterprise ontology for appropriateness as a basis for todays enterprise systems. A BWW ontological evaluation emphasizes two criteria (completeness and clarity) and two independent mappings (representation and interpretation). The results of the evaluation confirm that the majority of the REA constructs correspond with a subset of the BWW constructs. Based on the results of this study, there are recommended modifications to the REA enterprise ontology including extensions associated with state, event, and system related constructs, as well as other clarifications.

Illustrating the cognitive consequences of object-oriented systems development

Abstract The purported “naturalness” of object-oriented (OO) approaches refers to the assertion that an alignment exists among the innate cognitive activities of system designers and the characteristics of OO system development approaches. That is, designers can think about the objects that make up the system in the same way they think about objects in the world. This fit of cognitive activities and OO characteristics appeals to many system developers. Contrary to the claim of naturalness, many students and practitioners report difficulties learning and using OO techniques. To understand why OO approaches seem to be difficult to learn and use, we illustrate the consistency of common characteristics of OO techniques and the cognitive activities of systems designers. A group of graduate students identified 148 beliefs, facts, and ideas pertaining to OO complexity. Researchers classified each item in terms of the abstraction, communication, problem-orientation, and shared behavior characteristics common to OO approaches. Then classified each item in terms of the problem understanding, problem decomposition, and design solution cognitive activities. The consistency of the two classifications confirms that claims are supported by usage. However, it seems that methodology and project management are part of the task of developing information systems (ISs) that are not adequately addressed by OO approaches.

A Critical Re-Examination of Cyclomatic Complexity Measures

Cyclomatic complexity is a recognized measure of one aspect of structural complexity. Here two measures are re-examined theoretically for four cases: (a) modularization to eliminate duplicate code, (b) multiple entry, single exit modules, (c) single entry, multiple exit modules and (d) multiple entry, multiple exit modules.

Strategic Planning in an Accounting Department using Causal Maps and Cognitive Factions

Strategic planning can be a time-consuming task for academic departments. As such, an effective and efficient strategic planning approach is paramount. This paper presents a strategic planning approach using causal mapping to uncover the factors which faculty members believed would make their department (in the USA) more successful. The information gathered during the session was used as part of an AACSB accounting maintenance of accreditation process. The approach applied here elicits faculty involvement in ways which bring to the surface perspectives held by subgroups/factions of faculty. Additional perspectives are positive in a strategic planning context as they can contribute to devising strategies that might not have resulted by considering only majority views. Content analysis of the strategic plan suggests the range of views uncovered were integrated into the plan, including both the strategic factors and the relative importance of the factors.