Skip to main content

Software Architecture Evaluation Methods

 Software architecture evaluation methods help assess the quality, maintainability, and effectiveness of a system’s architecture. These methods can be categorized into early evaluation methods (before implementation) and late evaluation methods (after implementation).

Early Evaluation Methods

These methods evaluate software architecture at the early stages of development, ensuring that quality requirements are met before implementation. By aligning the architecture with quality objectives, potential risks can be mitigated early.

Early evaluation methods can be categorized into scenario-based and mathematical model-based approaches.

  1. SAAM (Scenario-Based Software Architecture Analysis Method) – Evaluates an architecture’s ability to support functional and quality attributes through predefined scenarios.
  2. ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) – Analyzes trade-offs between different quality attributes to make informed architectural decisions.
  3. ALPSM (Architecture Level Prediction of Software Maintenance) – Assesses maintainability by predicting the effort required for future modifications.
  4. ALMA (Architecture Level Modifiability Analysis) – Focuses on modifiability, evaluating how well an architecture can adapt to changes.
  5. CBAM (Cost-Benefit Analysis Method) – Estimates the cost-effectiveness of architectural decisions by balancing costs and benefits.
  6. FAAM (Family Architecture Assessment Method) – Evaluates software product line architectures for reusability and maintainability.
  7. SALUTA (Scenario-Based Architecture-Level Usability Analysis) – Assesses usability aspects of software architecture.
  8. SBAR (Scenario-Based Architecture Reengineering) – Helps in reengineering architectures by analyzing real-world usage scenarios.
  9. SAAMCS (SAAM for Complex Scenarios) – An extension of SAAM tailored for evaluating complex systems.
  10. ESAAMI (Extending SAAM by Integration in the Domain) – Enhances SAAM by incorporating domain-specific considerations.
  11. ASAAM (Aspectual Software Architecture Analysis Method) – Evaluates aspect-oriented architectures, considering cross-cutting concerns.
  12. SACAM (Software Architecture Comparison Analysis Method) – Compares multiple architectures to determine the best-fit design.
  13. DoSAM (Domain-Specific Software Architecture Comparison Model) – Analyzes architectures within specific domains to identify optimal structures.

Late Evaluation Methods

Late evaluation methods analyze discrepancies between planned architecture and implemented architecture to identify deviations, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement. These methods often utilize tool-based approaches for automated analysis.

  1. Tvedt et al.'s Approach – Examines architectural conformance and detects deviations.
  2. Lindvall et al.'s Approach – Evaluates software evolution and its impact on architectural integrity.
  3. Fiutem and Antoniol’s Approach (Tool-Based) – Uses automated tools to assess the implemented architecture.
  4. Murphy et al.'s Approach (Tool-Based) – Focuses on reverse engineering to recover architectural views from code.
  5. Sefika et al.'s Approach (Tool-Based) – Analyzes runtime interactions to validate architectural compliance.
These methods provide a structured approach to ensuring that software architectures align with their intended design and quality requirements. Selecting the right evaluation method depends on the project’s phase, goals, and complexity.

Interesting resources

1. https://resources.sei.cmu.edu/asset_files/TechnicalReport/1998_005_001_16646.pdf (this one os old)

2. https://resources.sei.cmu.edu/asset_files/TechnicalReport/2000_005_001_13706.pdf (this one is new)

3. http://lore.ua.ac.be/Teaching/CapitaMaster/ATAMmethod.pdf

4. https://www.win.tue.nl/oas/architecting/aimes/papers/Scenario-Based%20SWA%20Evaluation%20Methods.pdf

5. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.258.6953&rep=rep1&type=pdf

6. https://www.infoq.com/articles/ieee-pattern-based-architecture-reviews

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Virtual environments in python

 Creating virtual environments is essential for isolating dependencies and ensuring consistency across different projects. Here are the main methods and tools available, along with their pros, cons, and recommendations : 1. venv (Built-in Python Virtual Environment) Overview: venv is a lightweight virtual environment module included in Python (since Python 3.3). It allows you to create isolated environments without additional dependencies. How to Use: python -m venv myenv source myenv/bin/activate # On macOS/Linux myenv\Scripts\activate # On Windows Pros: ✅ Built-in – No need to install anything extra. ✅ Lightweight – Minimal overhead compared to other tools. ✅ Works across all platforms . ✅ Good for simple projects . Cons: ❌ No dependency management – You still need pip and requirements.txt . ❌ Not as feature-rich as other tools . ❌ No package isolation per project directory (requires manual activation). Recommendation: Use venv if you need a simple, lightweight solut...
Post a Comment
Read more

Building a Simple Text Generator: A Hands-on Introduction

Introduction Text generation is one of the most exciting applications of Natural Language Processing (NLP) . From autocorrect and chatbots to AI-generated stories and news articles , text generation models help machines produce human-like text. In this blog post, we’ll introduce a simple yet effective text generation method using Markov Chains . Unlike deep learning models like GPT, this approach doesn’t require complex neural networks—it relies on probability-based word transitions to create text. We’ll walk through: ✅ The concept of Markov Chains and how they apply to text generation. ✅ A step-by-step implementation , fetching Wikipedia text and training a basic text generator. ✅ Example outputs and future improvements. The Concept of Markov Chains in Text Generation A Markov Chain is a probabilistic model that predicts future states (or words) based only on the current state (or word), rather than the full sentence history. How it works in text generation: 1️⃣ We analyze a gi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mastering Trade-Off Analysis in System Architecture: A Strategic Guide for Architects

 In system architecture and design, balancing conflicting system qualities is both an art and a science. Trade-off analysis is a strategic evaluation process that enables architects to make informed decisions that align with business goals and technical constraints. By prioritizing essential system attributes while acknowledging inevitable compromises, architects can craft resilient and efficient solutions. This enhanced guide provides actionable insights and recommendations for architects aiming to master trade-off analysis for impactful architectural decisions. 1. Understanding Trade-Off Analysis Trade-off analysis involves identifying and evaluating the conflicting requirements and design decisions within a system. Architects must balance critical aspects like performance, scalability, cost, security, and maintainability. Since no system can be optimized for every quality simultaneously, prioritization based on project goals is essential. Actionable Insights: Define key quality ...
Post a Comment
Read more