Title
Task-specific visual cues for improving process model understanding.
Abstract
ContextBusiness process models support various stakeholders in managing business processes and designing process-aware information systems. In order to make effective use of these models, they have to be readily understandable. ObjectivePrior research has emphasized the potential of visual cues to highlight relevant matters in models such that stakeholders can use them more efficiently. What prior research does not explain is in how far visual cues can be customized to specific understanding tasks and how this influences cognition. MethodIn this paper, we address these questions with an experimental research design, in which we use eye-tracking equipment to capture how process experts use models to answer comprehension questions. As a treatment, we designed two manipulations of the secondary notation, namely coloring and layout, to direct attention to the elements relevant for the specific tasks. ResultsOur results indicate that both manipulations improve both eye-tracking-based measures and performance measures such as duration and efficiency, with color having the stronger effect. ConclusionsOur findings lay the foundation for novel features of process modeling tools that provide modifications of secondary notation in response to specific user queries. More generally, our research emphasizes the importance of the relevant region associated with a particular model understanding task.
Year
DOI
Venue
2016
10.1016/j.infsof.2016.07.003
Information and Software Technology
Keywords
Field
DocType
Business process model understanding,Visual cues,Scoping task specific model elements,Process model relevant region,Color process model elements
Sensory cue,Information system,Notation,Business process,Systems engineering,Computer science,Simulation,Process modeling,Human–computer interaction,Cognition,Comprehension
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
79
C
0950-5849
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
6
0.43
34
Authors
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Razvan Petrusel1374.32
Jan Mendling24250245.37
Hajo A. Reijers33424193.65