@inbook{381a750ee8394daaa5875358eaf990b8,
title = "Hierarchical ER diagrams (HERD) - The method and experimental evaluation",
abstract = "HERD (Hierarchical Entity-Relationship Diagram) is a semi-algorithmic, bottom-up method for creating hierarchical ER diagrams (ERD) from a given {"}flat{"} diagram. The method is based on three packaging operations, which group entity and relationship types according to certain criteria. The packaging operations are applied in several steps on a given (presumably large) ERD. The result is a hierarchy of simple and interrelated diagrams - ER structures - with external relationships to other structures. We conduct an experimental comparison of HERD and flat ERD from the point of view of user comprehension; time to complete comprehension tasks, and user preference of models. Results of the comparison reveal that there is no significant difference in comprehension of the two diagram types and in the time it takes to complete the comprehension tasks, but we found that users prefer HERD diagrams.",
author = "Peretz Shoval and Revital Danoch and Mira Balaban",
year = "2003",
month = jan,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1007/978-3-540-45275-1_24",
language = "English",
isbn = "3540202552",
series = "Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)",
publisher = "Springer Verlag",
pages = "264--274",
editor = "Marcela Genero and Fabio Grandi and {van den Heuvel}, Willem-Jan and John Krogstie and Kalle Lyytinen and {Mayr }, {Heinrich C.} and Jim Nelson and Antoni Oliv{\'e} and Mario Piattini and Geert Poels and John Roddick and Keng Siau and Masatoshi Yoshikawa and Yu, {Eric S. K.}",
booktitle = "Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)",
address = "Germany",
}