On the Interpretation of Spreadsheets within their Environment
This work addresses a domain-specific issue for spreadsheet users by offering an incremental method to reduce contradictions in complex models.
The paper tackles the problem of interpreting complex spreadsheet models by connecting them to their external environment using hyperlinked indexes, aiming to improve model integrity and understanding, though no concrete results or numbers are provided.
A demonstration in MS Excel to show how users can connect their spreadsheet models to the external environment that the model represents. We employ indexes to generate a list of relevant evidence that is hyperlinked to the context in which the evidence is discussed. The hyperlinks between the index and the contextual discussion have their own specific presentational identity. We contend that these presentational differences aid the integrity and understanding of complex models. Where models are complex, separate individual results can lead to contradictory conclusions. The demonstration includes a methodology for interpreting the analyses within a workbook and presenting them in the form of a standard written report.