Level of detail in UML models and its impact on model comprehension: A controlled experiment

Previous studies have shown that the style and rigor used in UML models vary widely across software projects [1–3]. However, notwithstanding the varying use of styles and rigor, little research has been conducted to investigate the drivers and effects of using different styles and rigor in modeling on software development. In this paper, we evaluate Level of Detail (LoD) in UML models as a form of style and rigor in UML modeling. Using a UML model of a library system, we experimentally investigate the impact of LoD on model comprehension. More specifically, we explore whether LoD in UML models affects the correctness and efficiency in comprehending UML models. Using two independent groups of graduate students majoring in computer science, we performed a controlled experiment. The results of the experiment confirm the significant effect of LoD in UML models on model comprehension. Nevertheless, replication of this study is necessary, especially in contexts that involve professional software engineers, to improve the generalizability of the results.