Considering Functional Spreadsheet Operator Usage Suggests the Value of Example Driven Modelling for Decision Support Systems

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the functional usage patterns of spreadsheet operators to gain insights into spreadsheet modeling practices and advocates for Example Driven Modelling as a promising approach for decision support systems.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analysis of spreadsheet function usage and highlights the potential of Example Driven Modelling to improve decision support systems.

Findings

Functional analysis reveals common operator usage patterns.

Understanding operator use can inform error reduction strategies.

Example Driven Modelling shows promise for decision support applications.

Abstract

Most spreadsheet surveys both for reporting use and error focus on the practical application of the spreadsheet in a particular industry. Typically these studies will illustrate that a particular percentage of spreadsheets are used for optimisation and a further percentage are used for 'What if' analysis. Much less common is examining the classes of function, as defined by the vendor, used by modellers to build their spreadsheet models. This alternative analysis allows further insight into the programming nature of spreadsheets and may assist researchers in targeting particular structures in spreadsheet software for further investigation. Further, understanding the functional make-up of spreadsheets allows effective evaluation of novel approaches from a programming point of view. It allows greater insight into studies that report what spreadsheets are used for since it is explicit which functional structures are in use in spreadsheets. We conclude that a deeper understanding of the use of operators and the operator's relationship to error would provide fresh insight into the spreadsheet error problem. Considering functional spreadsheet operator usage suggests the value of Example Driven Modelling for Decision Support Systems