Principles for Future Development of graphical Modeling Languages

Abstract

This chapter defines a set of principles based on the empirical results of this thesis and on current literature. As shown in the empirical surveys, two major criteria of graphical modeling languages influence the usability and connected attributes significantly:

• Visual properties

• Language complexity

Based on the empirical surveys of this thesis, the general finding is that the enlargement of visual properties supports the usability of the four modeling languages in development and interpretation scenarios. The question that has to be asked at this stage is what are principles when designing visual properties in graphical modeling languages. Researchers such as Moody (2010) analyzed this issue and with the survey results his general ideas and theses are confirmed. In the following chosen visual principles for designing graphical modeling languages are presented.