Conclusion

The dependency management metrics described in this chapter measure the conformance of a design to a pattern of dependency and abstraction that I think is a "good" pattern. Experience has shown that certain dependencies are good and others are bad. This pattern reflects that experience. However, a metric is not a god; it is merely a measurement against an arbitrary standard. It is certainly possible that the standard chosen in this chapter is appropriate only for certain applications and not for others. It may also be that far better metrics can be used to measure the quality of a design.