An improved classification tree analysis of high cost modules based upon an axiomatic definition of complexity

Identification of high cost modules has been viewed as one mechanism to improve overall system reliability, since such modules tend to produce more than their fair share of problems. A decision tree model has previously been used to identify such modules. In this paper, a previously developed axiomatic model of program complexity is merged with the previously developed decision tree process for an improvement in the ability to identify such modules. This improvement has been tested using data from the NASA Software Engineering Laboratory