IfSQ

Information-Hiding makes large programs 4 times easier to modify

Research Finding:
Large programs that use information hiding are a factor 4 easier to modify than programs which don't.

IfSQ Defect Indicators based on this finding:

• DP-5—Information Exposed
  Information internal to a module has been made available to other modules. The practice of information hiding makes it much easier to modify large programs.

Source:

An Empirical Study of Modularity on Program Modifiability

• Timothy D. Korson, and Vijay K. Vaishnavi
• Recorded 1986 in Empirical Studies of Programmers
• Pages 168-86