A Method to Derive Software Architectures from Quality Requirements

Abstract

We present a model- and pattern-based method that allows software engineers to take quality requirements into account right from the beginning of the software development process. The method comprises requirements analysis as well as the derivation of a software architecture from requirements documents, in which quality requirements are reflected explicitly. For requirements analysis, we use an enhancement of the problem frame approach, where software development problems are represented by problem diagrams. The derivation of a software architecture starts from a set of problem diagrams, annotated with functional as well as quality requirements. First, we set up an initial software architecture, taking into account the decomposition of the overall software development problem into sub problems. Then, we incorporate quality requirements into that architecture by using security or performance patterns or mechanisms. The method is tool-supported, which allows developers to check semantic integrity conditions in the different models.