Complexity Metrics and Models

Thus far the reliability and quality management models we have discussed are either at the project or the product level. Both types of model tend to treat the software more or less as a black box. In other words, they are based on either the external behavior (e.g., failure data) of the product or the intermediate process data (e.g., type and magnitude of inspection defects), without looking into the internal dynamics of design and code of the software. In this chapter we describe the relationships between metrics about design and code implementation and software quality. The unit of analysis is more granular, usually at the program-module level. Such metrics and models tend to take an internal view and can provide clues for software engineers to improve the quality of their work.

Reliability models are developed and studied by researchers and software reliability practitioners with sophisticated skills in mathematics and statistics; quality management models are developed by software quality professionals and product managers for practical project and quality management. Software complexity research, on the other hand, is usually conducted by computer scientists or experienced software engineers. Like the reliability models, many complexity metrics and models have emerged in the recent past. In this chapter we discuss several key metrics and models, and describe a real-life example of metric analysis and quality improvement.