Assessing Object-Oriented Cognitive Complexity Metrics Using Abreu’s Criteria

Abstract: Software complexity metrics provide quantitative mechanisms to evaluate essential quality attributes of software systems, including maintainability, testability, reusability, and overall design quality. Within Object-Oriented (OO) design, several metrics have been proposed to quantify structural and cognitive aspects of software complexity. Among these, Cognitive Weighted Inheritance Class Complexity (CWICC) and Interface-Based Cognitive Weighted Class Complexity (ICWCC) have been introduced to measure the cognitive burden associated with inheritance hierarchies and interface-oriented architectural constructs. This study presents a focused theoretical validation of both CWICC and ICWCC metrics using Abreu’s validation criteria, a well-recognized framework for assessing the soundness and appropriateness of object-oriented design metrics. The validation process systematically examines whether these metrics satisfy Abreu’s established properties for meaningful software measurement, including consistency, monotonicity, and proper representation of design characteristics. By evaluating CWICC and ICWCC against these criteria, the research aims to establish their theoretical robustness, strengthen their measurement credibility, and support their applicability in assessing cognitive complexity within object-oriented software systems.

Keywords: Complexity, Cognitive, Object-oriented metrics, Abreu’s validation criteria, Metric validation.