CfPBoK
by
Vadim Zaytsev
sle2008s/paper02
SLE 2008 SI
paper:
The “Physics” of Notations: Toward a Scientific Basis for Constructing Visual Notations in Software Engineering
Daniel Laurence Moody
DOI:
10.1109/TSE.2009.67
Extended version of
Evaluating the Visual Syntax of UML: An Analysis of the Cognitive Effectiveness of the UML Family of Diagrams
(
SLE 2008
)
T1A: Design
The paper develops a principled design theory (principles and rationale) for constructing visual modelling notations, i.e., language design for visual syntax.
T5H: Usability
The proposed principles aim at cognitively effective notations and improved human comprehensibility, making usability a central evaluation dimension.
T4F: Visualisation
It focuses on the visual (diagrammatic) representation of language constructs and how they should be visualised for effective communication.
The page is maintained by
Dr. Vadim Zaytsev
a.k.a. @
grammarware
. Last updated: June 2026.