Abstract: A method for automatically measuring the complexity of a technical illustration for prospective users involves converting (50, 52, 54) the technical illustration into compressed data and measuring (60, 66, 70, 72, 74, 78, 80, 82, 86, 88, 92, 94, 96) conversion of the technical illustration into compressed data, to obtain a performance value (94) corresponding to the complexity of the technical illustration (10). This process includes, for example, the step of processing (50, 52, 54) a technical illustration with image-processing software that processes the technical illustration (10). The process further includes embedding measurement operations (60, 66, 70, 72, 74, 78, 80, 82, 86, 88, 92, 94, 96) at predetermined locations in the software to evaluate a selected task performed by the software during the processing (50, 52, 54) of the illustration. The measurements obtained are used to calculate a performance value (94) indicative of the performance of the software in processing the illustration (10).