SoD-HCER: Comprehensibility as a Design Criterion

计算机和信息科学与工程(CEISE)司计算机和网络系统(CNS)设计科学(SoD)计划建议编号：0613919 P/I：鲁本·甘博亚研究所：怀俄明大学标题：“SoD-HCER：可理解性作为设计标准”奖：$157,428持续时间：24个月本项目的重点是软件设计可理解性，其中提出了一种客观的可理解性度量，可通过使用自动化技术检测程序约束来确定。使用可理解性作为评估设计的标准是一个重大的智力挑战，因为可理解性是一个主观的概念，使自动检测它的任务变得复杂。提出者检测可理解性的方法是修改两个程序分析工具(Daikon和AbsInt)，以便这些工具可以用来理解“好的”设计。该项目有两个主要的研究目标：a)确定可理解性是否包含了“好的”设计的非正式概念。这一目标代表了对主要论点的实证验证(或驳斥)，即可理解性是好设计的关键品质；以及，b)确定使设计更易于理解的设计特征。这里的目的是分析在互联网上可以自由访问的不同程序，以确定工具容易理解的设计，然后看看它们有什么共同的设计特征。这是一个高度推测的目标，但它是研究提出的主要科学问题。此外，它还可以对编程实践产生广泛的影响。本项目的论文认为，可理解性可以作为评估设计质量的单一标准，并且可以使用从程序中推断含义的自动化工具来客观地衡量这个标准，提供了一个单一的和可测试的标准来衡量质量。这项研究使软件设计艺术更接近科学基础。该项目的早期好处将是确定设计特征，从而提高可理解性，从而提高设计质量。此外，集成自动化工具以客观地衡量设计质量是该提案的一个独特和创新的方面。如果成功，该项目可能会为设计科学的知识体系做出贡献，为实践者提供“好的”设计戒律。此外，拟议的研究有可能对计算机科学教育和一般编程实践产生重大影响。如果这个项目成功地确立了可理解性是设计质量的充分衡量标准，学生和专业设计师将有一种新的、客观的方式来评判不同的设计。项目经理：Anita J.La SalleDate：2006年6月28日

Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE)Division Computer and Network Systems (CNS)Science of Design (SoD) ProgramProposal Number: 0613919 P/I: Ruben Gamboa Institution: University of Wyoming Title: "SoD-HCER: Comprehensibility as a Design Criterion"Award: $ 157,428Duration: 24 monthsThe focus of this project is on software design comprehensibility where an objective measure of comprehensibility is proposed that can be determined by the use of automated techniques for detecting program constraints. Using comprehensibility as a criterion for evaluating designs poses a major intellectual challenge because comprehensibility is a subjective notion that complicates the task of detecting it automatically. The proposers' approach toward detecting comprehensibility is to modify two program analysis tools (Daikon and AbsInt) so that those tools can be used to comprehend "good" designs. The project has two main research goals: a) Determine if comprehensibility captures the informal notion of "good" design. This goal represents the empirical validation (or refutation) of the main thesis, that comprehensibility is the key quality shared by good designs; and, b) Identify design features that make designs more comprehensible. The intent here is to analyze different programs that are freely accessible on the Internet to identify designs that are easily comprehended by the tools, and then to see what design features they have in common. This is a highly speculative goal, but it is the main scientific question raised by the research. Moreover, it is one that can have a broad impact on the practice of programming. The thesis of this project, that comprehensibility can be used as a single criterion for evaluating design quality and that this criterion can be measured objectively by using automated tools that infer meaning from programs, provides a single and testable criterion to measure quality. This research brings the art of software design one step closer to a scientific footing. An early benefit of this project will be the identification of design features that lead to greater comprehensibility, hence to better design quality. Moreover, the integration of automated tools to measure design quality objectively is an aspect of this proposal that is unique and innovative. If successful, the project may contribute to the body of knowledge of the science of design by presenting "good" design precepts for practitioners to follow. In addition, the proposed research has the potential to make a significant impact both on computer science education and on the practice of programming in general. If this project is successful in establishing that comprehensibility is an adequate measure of design quality, students and professional designers will have a new and objective way to judge different designs. Program Manager: Anita J. La SalleDate: June 28, 2006