Friday, 22nd February, 09:00 – 12:30
This workshop will discuss and propose alternatives to measure software architecture complexity based on quality attributes as non-functional requirements such as performance, reliability, and modifiability.
Popular software complexity estimates, like function-points, are focused on the functionality and do not pay enough attention to complexity imposed to fulfill the severe quality requirements of some modern projects.
The participants will be encouraged to analyse different implications of architecture and quality attributes on software development efforts and risks.
The goal of this workshop is to produce insights to encourage further research and future methods that consider quality attributes on software complexity metrics.
Expected Audience: Software Architects, Software Engineers, Researches and Students
Objective: Discuss software architecture complexity aspects in terms of metrics and start organizing the requirements for building an estimation model in order to help predicting and measuring the value of software architecture
In order to start and enrich our discussions, we will have a presentation of Mr. Mohamad Kassab from Concordia University, Montreal, of his paper on "Non-Functional Requirements Size Measurement Method (NFSM) with COSMIC-FFP":
Abstract: Non-functional requirements (NFRs) of software systems are an important source of uncertainty in effort estimation. The need to deal comprehensively with the effect of NFRs on the effort of building the software project generates the need to measure their functional size, as effort is a function of size. In this presentation, the use of the COSMIC-FFP functional size measurement method is proposed to quantify the size of NFR in a software project. The NFR framework is chosen as a vehicle to apply the quantitative assessment approach. Our analysis of the applicability and the limitations of the approach and some suggestions for future work will be discussed as well.
The workshop proposal is to divide attendees in six groups of discussions, with the following subjects.
Subject 1: Cost Models
Estimates using one or more techniques:
These techniques are not adequate to measure the architectural complexity in aspects like: security, scalability, usability, changeability
Subject 2: Translating QAs into functionality
Architectural Design:
Subject 3: Architectures, Quality Attributes and ROI
Subject 4: Risks and uncertainty
Architecture Value = fplus (BP, Functionality, Architecture Benefit, Managed Risks, Handled Uncertanties) - fminus(Architecture Cost, Unhandled Risks)
Subject 5: Metrics to define mitigation actions over risks and uncertainties
PMBOK: risk response planning + risk monitoring and control
Complexity Metrics = f (management man hours) + g (ATAM scenarios) + h (Quality attributes)
Subject 6: Knowledge Database
Knowledge database should keep:
Questions to stimulate discussion:
Marcos Aurelio Pedroso and Sérgio Almeida Dias (Labmed - Software Architecture Measure Laboratory, Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas do IPT - Mestrado Profissional and Engenharia de Computação da Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo)