Decision Sciences Journal
Volume 30, Number 1
Winter 1999
An Examination of Procedural and Object-oriented Systems
Analysis Methods: Does Prior Experience Help or Hinder Performance?
Michael G. Morris
Department of Graduate Acquisition Management, Air Force Institute
of Technology, 2950 P Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7765,
michael.morris@afit.af.mil
Cheri Speier
Eli Broad School of Business, Michigan State Univeristy, N215
North Business Complex, East Lansing, MI 48824, cspeier@pilot.msu.edu
Jeffrey A. Hoffer
Department of MIS and Decision Sciences, University of Dayton,
300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469-2130, hoffer@udayton.edu
Abstract. Interest in object-oriented analysis (OOA)
and object-oriented design (OOD) has expanded rapidly over the
last several years. Proponents of OOA and OOD have called the
shift to these methods “revolutionary” and have cited
a number of impressive claims with respect to their use. However,
empirical research investigating these claims remains in its
infancy. Moreover, an examination of the literature reveals inconclusive
and often conflicting results for OOA and OOD methods relative
to traditional data and/or procedural techniques.
This paper presents the results of an empirical study that
examined both experienced and novice systems analysts using both
procedural and object-oriented techniques. This research examined
whether experience in using procedural methods helped or hindered
performance using OOA and compared procedural and OOA methods
on the subjective mental workload induced.
A human problem-solving model adopted from Newell and Simon
(1972) provided the theoretical framework for this study. Dependent
variables include subjective mental workload, solution quality,
time to perform task, and attitudinal measures. Although some
of these dependent variables have been used in past research,
we believe this is the first time that subjective mental workload
(SMW) has been examined in an IS context. Our results indicate
that both novice and experienced subjects demonstrate higher
SMW when using OOA. In addition, as a group, novices prefer object-oriented
techniques and find these techniques easier as compared to experienced
subjects.
Subject Areas: Experimental Design, Object-oriented
Methods, and Systems Development Methodologies. |