A method for assessing the reusability of object-oriented code using a validated set of automated measurements

A method for judging the reusability of C++ code components and for assessing indirect quality attributes from the direct attributes measured by an automated tool was demonstrated. The method consisted of two phases. The first phase identified and analytically validated a set of measurements for assessing direct quality attributes based on measurement theory. An automated tool was used to compute actual measures for a repository of C++ classes. A taxonomy relating reuse, indirect quality attributes, and measurements identified and validated during the first part of this research was defined. The second phase consisted of identifying and validating a set of measurements for assessing indirect quality attributes. A case study of the feasibility of applying direct measurements to assess the indirect quality attributes was conducted. The comparison and analysis of indirect quality attributes measured by human analysis with direct quality attributes measured by the automated tool provided empirical evidence that the two sets of quality attributes, direct and indirect, do correlate.