Advances in the Characterization of Cognitive Support for Unit Testing: The Bug-Hunting Game and the Visualization Arsenal
Marllos Paiva Prado, Auri Marcelo Rizzo Vincenzi · 2016
In the previous edition of ISSRE we used a straightforward hunting metaphor to call the attention of the research community to the importance of considering human aspects in software testing-in particular, to research challenges that affect practitioners in the industry. Our focus was on the unit testing level. As a result, we proposed a framework to indicate research directions in three cognitive support dimensions defined to this level of testing. In the present work, we advance in this area considering the visualization domain. We demonstrate an immediate application of our framework to help derive information on how visualizations for unit testing are currently addressing each cognitive support dimension. Our results demonstrate the lack of concern with adequate procedures for both planning and validation of the visualizations regarding cognitive support aspects. These issues affect the capacity of the proposals to support users and put under risk the solutions' reliability.