Debugging Process Models based on Changes in Impressions of Software Modules

This paper proposes analysis models for representing processes of debugging unfamiliar programs focusing on how engineers comprehend each software module and locate a bug. Since actual debugging strategies relate to engineers’ impressions of each software module – either the module is faulty, not faulty or uncertain, proposed models consider both mentaland externalactivities of engineers. We applied periodic interviewing method for quantitatively capturing engineers’ mental activities. By characterizing target programs from multiple viewpoints such as module dependences and program slicing, engineers’ debugging activities were analyzed in details based on the models.