Architecture Analysis

Definition

Architecture Analysis

the architecting task during which the quality and maturity of the architecture is analyzed

Classification

As illustrated in the preceding figure, architecture analysis is part of the following inheritance hierarchy:

• Type: Abstract
• Superclass: Task
• Subclasses:
  • Performance Modeling

Responsibilities

The typical responsibilities of the architecture analysis task are to analyze the architecture in terms of its:

• Quality (its ability to adequately support its allocated requirements):
  • Quality Requirements
  • Data Requirements
  • Functional Requirements
  • Interface Requirements
  • Constraints
• Maturity with respect to the endeavor’s schedule.

Preconditions

Architecture analysis typically can begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The architecture team is adequately:
  • Staffed
  • Trained in architecture analysis.
• The architecture is sufficiently documented (i.e., adequate architectural views and perspectives exist and/or executable architectural prototypes) to enable proper evaluation.

Completion Criteria

Architecture analysis typically is complete when the following postconditions hold:

• The architecture has been analyzed against each type of allocated requirements, especially each type of quality requirement.
• The architecture has been completed and frozen.

Steps

Architecture analysis typically involves the architecture team performs the following subtasks and steps in an incremental, iterative, parallel, and time-boxed manner:

• Architectural Quality Analysis:
  • Identify the architecturally significant requirements, especially the quality requirements (e.g., availability, capacity, interoperability, performance, maintainability, manufacturability, portability, reliablity, robustness, safety, security) which tend to have the largest impact on the architecture.
  • For each type of architecturally significant requirement, evaluate (via analysis, inspection, ) the architecture for its support for the associated requirements using where appropriate:
    • Analysis of models
    • Inspection and review of architectural documentation
    • Demonstration and testing of executable architectural prototypes
• Architectural Maturity Analysis:
  • Determine planned architectural maturity relative to endeavor master plan.
  • Use the official endeavor architectural documentation to evaluate the maturity of the various parts of the architecture against the plan.
• Architecture Documentation
  
  • Produce or update the associated architecture analysis report.
  • Distribute the architecture analysis report to its stakeholders.

Techniques

Architecture analysis typically can be performed using the following techniques:

• Analysis
• Checklists
• Demonstration
• Evaluation Criteria
• Gap Analysis
• Inspection
• Modeling
• Review
• Testing

Work Products

Architecture analysis typically results in the production of all or part of the following work products:

• Architecture Analysis Report

Guidelines

• This task is only useful if relevant reusable architectural components are available.
• Although many talk of “Make vs. Buy”, the situation is actually much more complex. It actually involves deciding between acquire, build, buy, legacy analysis, open source, and receive.
• This task is useful for both business [re]engineering and application development endeavors.