Software Architecture Evaluation Methods for Measuring Modifiability

Abstract

Software systems constantly change, and it causes the architecture of the system to degenerate during the system life cycle. Definitely, any degeneration needs extra effort and delays the releases of the system. The ability to accept changes quickly and cost-effectively is considered as modifiability. In order to assess system modifiability, we need evaluation methods and tools. There are different evaluation methods for software architecture quality evaluation. In this paper, we compare two well-known software architecture evaluation methods which mostly are applying for testing the modifiability, including Scenario-Based Architecture Analysis (SAAM) and Architecture Level Modifiability Analysis (ALMA). The comparison shows that these two methods are structurally similar however, there are some differences among their activities and processes. Therefore, the common activities that are used for evaluating software architecture in these two methods can form a generic process model for evaluating modifiability.