Provided is a method, system, and program for enabling analysis of proposed changes to program statements in a source code file. A data structure is generated indicating a plurality of program statements affected by one of a plurality of selected program statements to change, wherein the data structure indicates a hierarchical relationship of the effect of program statements on one another resulting from changes to the selected program statements. The data structure is provided to a software development tool to enable a programmer to display information on the hierarchical relationship of the affect of the program statements on one another resulting from changes to the selected program statements.