Validation of structure metrics: a case study

A framework for the validation of axiomatic structure metrics is presented. In a case study, the comprehen-sibility of type expressions in the functional programming language Miranda' has been investigated. A structure metric for the comprehensibility of type expressions has been developed together with internal and external axioms. This structure metric has been validated experimentally. The calibrated metric function results in a good prediction of the comprehensibility. This principle asserts that the property of a system can be derived from the properties of its constituent components without knowledge of the interior structure of those components. Interaction between properties of components is excluded. A scheme for the measurement of a software system is given in figure 1 (cf. [ll]). Structure metrics have been developed for computer programs in imperative programming languages.