Experimental Set Up

• 15 full-time systems programmers
• Program trading firm
• Environment: system maintenance on three Unix networks and large database running Sybase, X-window system, C language

Assignment

• Errors written to a file
• If no errors, indicate so in file
• Display on screen whether or not results should be sent to all system administrators
• Comments requested in program for readability

• Problem critical to organization's success, so motivation high
• None of subjects had prior experience with this type of problem
• 5 subjects worked alone
• 10 subjects work in pairs (5 pairs)
• Assignments (individual, pairs) done by randomly generated numbers
• All given 45 minutes

created May 16, 2003 last revised May 16, 2003

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