An environment for measuring and improving the quality of object-oriented software

Abstract

It is widely accepted that more widespread use of object-oriented techniques can only come about when there are techniques and tool systems that provide design support beyond visualizing code. Distinct software metrics are considered as being able to support the design by indicating critical components with respect to various quality factors such as maintainability and reliability. Unfortunately, many object-oriented metrics were defined and applied to classroom projects, but no evidence was given that the metrics are useful and applicable—both from an experience viewpoint and from a tools viewpoint—for industrial object-oriented development. Distinct complexity metrics have been developed and integrated in a Smalltalk development support system called SmallMetric. Thus we achieved a basis for software analysis (metrics) and development support (critique) of Smalltalk systems. The main concepts of the environment including the underlying metrics are explained, its use and operation are discussed and some results of the implementation and its application to several industrial projects are given with examples. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.