Building measure-based prediction models for UML class diagram maintainability

The usefulness of measures for the analysis and design of object oriented (OO) software is increasingly being recognized in the field of software engineering research. In particular, recognition of the need for early indicators of external quality attributes is increasing. We investigate through experimentation whether a collection of UML class diagram measures could be good predictors of two main subcharacteristics of the maintainability of class diagrams: understandability and modifiability. Results obtained from a controlled experiment and a replica support the idea that useful prediction models for class diagrams understandability and modifiability can be built on the basis of early measures, in particular, measures that capture structural complexity through associations and generalizations. Moreover, these measures seem to be correlated with the subjective perception of the subjects about the complexity of the diagrams. This fact shows, to some extent, that the objective measures capture the same aspects as the subjective ones. However, despite our encouraging findings, further empirical studies, especially using data taken from real projects performed in industrial settings, are needed. Such further study will yield a comprehensive body of knowledge and experience about building prediction models for understandability and modifiability.

Mario PiattiniEmail:

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Marcela Genero   is an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Systems and Technologies at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain. She received her MSc degree in Computer Science from the University of South, Argentine in 1989, and her PhD at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain in 2002. Her research interests include empirical software engineering, software metrics, conceptual data models quality, database quality, quality in product lines, quality in MDD, etc. She has published in prestigious journals (Journal of Software Maintenance and Evolution: Research and Practice, L’Objet, Data and Knowledge Engineering, Journal of Object Technology, Journal of Research and Practice in Information Technology), and conferences (CAISE, E/R, MODELS/UML, ISESE, OOIS, SEKE, etc). She edited the books of Mario Piattini and Coral Calero titled “Data and Information Quality” (Kluwer, 2001), and “Metrics for Software Conceptual Models” (Imperial College, 2005). She is a member of ISERN. M. Esperanza Manso   is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Language and Systems at the University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain. She received her MSc degree in Mathematics from the University of Valladolid. Currently, she is working towards her PhD. Her main research interests are software maintenance, reengineering and reuse experimentation. She is an author of several papers in conferences (OOIS, CAISE, METRICS, ISESE, etc.) and book chapters. Corrado Aaron Visaggio   is an Assistant Professor of Database and Software Testing at the University of Sannio, Italy. He obtained his PhD in Software Engineering at the University of Sannio. He works as a researcher at the Research Centre on Software Technology, at Benvento, Italy. His research interests include empirical software engineering, software security, software process models. He serves on the Editorial Board on the e-Informatica Journal. Gerardo Canfora   is a Full Professor of Computer Science at the Faculty of Engineering and the Director of the Research Centre on Software Technology (RCOST) at the University of Sannio in Benevento, Italy. He serves on the program committees of a number of international conferences. He was a program co-chair of the 1997 International Workshop on Program Comprehension; the 2001 International Conference on Software Maintenance; the 2003 European Conference on Software Maintenance and Reengineering; the 2005 International Workshop on Principles of Software Evolution: He was the General chair of the 2003 European Conference on Software Maintenance and Reengineering and 2006 Working Conference on Reverse Engineering. Currently, he is a program co-chair of the 2007 International Conference on Software Maintenance. His research interests include software maintenance and reverse engineering, service oriented software engineering, and experimental software engineering. He was an associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering and he currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Software Maintenance and Evolution. He is a member of the IEEE Computer Society. Mario Piattini   is MSc and PhD in Computer Science by the Technical University of Madrid. Certified Information System Auditor by ISACA (Information System Audit and Control Association). Full Professor in the Department of Information Systems and Technologies at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, in Ciudad Real, Spain. Author of several books and papers on databases, software engineering and information systems. He leads the ALARCOS research group at the University of Castilla-La Mancha.