Using Icicle Trees to Encode the Hierarchical Structure of Source Code

Bacher, Ivan; Namee, Brian Mac; Kelleher, John D.

Using Icicle Trees to Encode the Hierarchical Structure of Source Code

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Date

2016

Authors

Bacher, Ivan
Namee, Brian Mac
Kelleher, John D.

Publisher

The Eurographics Association

Abstract

This paper presents a study which evaluates the use of a tree visualisation (icicle tree) to encode the hierarchical structure of source code. The tree visualisation was combined with a source code editor in order to function as a compact overview to facilitate the process of comprehending the global structure of a source code document. Results from our study show that providing an overview visualisation led to an increase in accuracy and a decrease in completion time when participants performed counting tasks. However, in locating tasks, the presence of the visualisation led to a decrease in participants' performance.

        @inproceedings{10.2312:eurovisshort.20161168
,
booktitle = {EuroVis 2016 - Short Papers
},
editor = {Enrico Bertini and Niklas Elmqvist and Thomas Wischgoll
},
title = {{Using Icicle Trees to Encode the Hierarchical Structure of Source Code
}},
author = {Bacher, Ivan and 
Namee, Brian Mac and 
Kelleher, John D.
},
year = {2016
},
publisher = {The Eurographics Association
},
ISSN = {-
},
ISBN = {978-3-03868-014-7
},
DOI = {10.2312/eurovisshort.20161168
}
}