Software architecture appears to be one of the main factors affecting software maintainability. Therefore, in order to be able to predict and assess maintainability early in the development process we need to be able to measure the high-level design characteristics that affect the change process. To this end, we propose a measurement approach, which is based on precise assumptions derivedfrom the change process, which is based on Object-Oriented Design principles and is partially language independent. We define metrics for cohesion, coupling, and visibility in order to capture the dificulty of isolating, understanding, designing and validating changes.
Briand et al. REF proposed cohesion and coupling measures based on object-oriented design principles to evaluate software maintainability.
Measuring and assessing maintainability at the end of high level design
1993 Conference on Software Maintenance
1993 Conference on Software Maintenance
Computer Science