The Physics of Notation
“The Physics of Notation” is a 2009 tutorial (paper and slides) by Daniel L. Moody. The subtitle is “a scientific approach to designing visual notations in software engineering” From the abstract:
Typically no design rationale, scientific or otherwise, is provided for visual representation choices. While SE has developed mature methods for evaluating and designing semantics, it lacks equivalent methods for visual syntax.
The tutorial begins with a “descriptive theory” of human graphical information processing based on perception, drawing from a wide range of fields. The bulk of the tutorial provides a “prescriptive theory”, a set of principles for pragmatic, effective graphical notations. Problems identified in popular notations are accompanied by example solutions prescribed by the given principles. The prescriptive theory incorporates positive and negative effects of combining principles.
The Physics of Notation – slide (pdf)
The Physics of Notation – paper (ACM abstract and link to pdf)