Slaying Metric Monsters: Using Design Metrics to Improve Software Quality

Metric monsters are stumbling blocks that prevent software metrics-guided methodologies from attaining product and process improvement. Metric monsters can occur during the identification, collection or application of software metrics. In our research, we have developed and tested our design metrics over a five-year period and have found them to be excellent predictors of error-prone modules. Based on this research, we will identify some of the monsters that occur when we try to support quantitative analyses of software and its development processes, and offer battle plans to slay them. We also present a metrics model consisting of tools, guidelines and actions for the application of software metrics.