Towards Empirical Validation of Design Notations for Web Applications: An Experimental Framework

Web application design involves at least one additional dimension over traditional software design: navigation, as supported by hyperlinks. Available design notations for Web applications offer enhanced separation of different design concerns (among which, navigation) and promise increased understandability and maintainability. However, such claims have not yet been tested in the field.In this paper, we propose a framework for the execution of empirical studies aimed at assessing the cost-effectiveness of Web design notations. The context of the empirical studies is a typical maintenance and evolution scenario, involving activities such as program comprehension, impact analysis and change implementation. The most important obstacles and challenges in the design of such studies will be considered in this paper. We will propose counter-measures and possible mitigations for them. Finally, we will instantiate the framework into a specific empirical study that we plan to conduct in the next few months.