An Architecture Assessment Model: Holistic Evaluation of Software Architecture

Abstract

Current architecture review methods predominantly focus on verifying compliance between design and requirements, as well as between code and design. However, they often overlook whether the final product has been adequately tested against architecturally significant requirements and architectural risks. As the software industry evolves, such adaptable models will be crucial for maintaining and enhancing product quality efficiently and cost-effectively, especially considering that widely used maturity models in the industry lack mechanisms for assessing architectural maturity together with testing processes. Recognizing that appropriate testing is a critical component of software architecture processes, this paper proposes an assessment model that incorporates testing into architecture review processes, effectively bridging this gap. Our approach integrates widely used methods, such as the lightweight Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM), into our model to assess architectural quality in an easy and pragmatic manner. By integrating risk-based architectural testing review, this model ensures monitoring and improvement of architectural quality throughout the software development lifecycle, aids in early risk identification and mitigation, and ensures the final product meets high standards of quality in terms of quality attributes and non-functional requirements (NFR).