The Effects of Construct Redundancy on Readers' Understanding of Conceptual Models

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of construct redundancy on readers' understanding of conceptual models. Conceptual models play a crucial role in understanding the domain related to information system development. The clarity of such models can be compromised if they are constructed using a conceptual modelling grammar exhibiting construct redundancy where one real-world phenomenon maps to two or more grammar constructs. With two empirical studies on solving domain-related problems using Unified Modeling Language (UML) class diagrams as conceptual domain models, it was found that when construct redundancy is present at different strengths, then the effect of the redundancy on the understanding of a model depends on the modeling knowledge of the reader. Novice readers with minimal modeling knowledge find models difficult to interpret when a strong level of redundancy caused by distinct construct redundancy exists. However, when the models have a weak level of redundancy then these readers find them easier to understand compared to models without redundancy. In contrast, trained readers are indifferent to a weak level of redundancy in a model.