A coding scheme to support systematic analysis of software comprehension

Protocol Analysis is a valuable tool for gaining qualitative data from obse rvations of programmer behavior during software maintenance. However, there are some major drawbacks with Protocol Analysis as it is currently practic ed. Firstly, Protocol Analysis requires a daunting amount of effort at each stage of analysis. Secondly, the results from one Protocol Analysis are of ten difficult to compare with results from another. This paper describes a coding scheme, AFECS, designed to reduce the effort required to perform Pro tocol Analysis and to resolve the problem of noncomparable results. AFECS u ses codes that consist of expandable and flexible segments. This allows AFE CS to be tailored to the requirements of a variety of research studies, whi le maintaining a degree of consistency. Explicit segmentation also makes AF ECS easy to use. An example shows AFECS' use and ability to adapt to divers e research questions.