diff --git a/StructuralGT/util.py b/StructuralGT/util.py
index bd07f2f..b8dc993 100644
--- a/StructuralGT/util.py
+++ b/StructuralGT/util.py
@@ -8,6 +8,77 @@
 import time
 import gsd.hoomd
 import warnings
+from functools import wraps
+
+class _Compute:
+    r"""Parent class for all compute classes in StructuralGT. Modelled after
+    the :class:`_Compute` class used in **freud** :cite:`Ramasubramani2020`.
+
+    The primary purpose of this class is to prevent access of uncomputed
+    values. This is accomplished by maintaining a boolean flag to track whether
+    the compute method in a class has been called and decorating class
+    properties that rely on compute having been called.
+
+    To use this class, one would write, for example,
+
+    .. code-block:: python
+        class Electronic(_Compute):
+
+            def compute(...)
+                ...
+
+            @_Compute._computed_property
+            def effectice_resistance(self):
+                return ...
+
+    Attributes:
+        _called_compute (bool):
+            Flag representing whether the compute method has been called.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._called_compute = False
+
+    def __getattribute__(self, attr):
+        """Compute methods set a flag to indicate that quantities have been
+        computed. Compute must be called before plotting."""
+        attribute = object.__getattribute__(self, attr)
+        if attr == 'compute':
+            # Set the attribute *after* computing. This enables
+            # self._called_compute to be used in the compute method itself.
+            compute = attribute
+
+            @wraps(compute)
+            def compute_wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+                return_value = compute(*args, **kwargs)
+                self._called_compute = True
+                return return_value
+            return compute_wrapper
+        elif attr == 'plot':
+            if not self._called_compute:
+                raise AttributeError(
+                    "The compute method must be called before calling plot.")
+        return attribute
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _computed_property(prop):
+        r"""Decorator that makes a class method to be a property with limited access.
+
+        Args:
+            prop (callable): The property function.
+
+        Returns:
+            Decorator decorating appropriate property method.
+        """
+
+        @property
+        @wraps(prop)
+        def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            if not self._called_compute:
+                raise AttributeError(
+                    "Property not computed. Call compute first.")
+            return prop(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        return wrapper
 
 def _abs_path(network, name):
     if name[0] == "/":