Selecting components assemblies from non-functional requirements through tactics and scenarios

Abstract

The architecture of a software system is consequence of a succession of architectural design decisions. This kind of decision allows to software architect select alternatives (architecture tactics) and software components when a stakeholders requirement is demanded. However, there is no framework that conducts the appropriate selection of software components using architectural tactics. This article describes the selection of COMPonents using ArChitectural Tactics (COMPACT), a framework to evaluate off-the-shelf components from non-functional requirements (NFRs). COMPACT contains a scenarios/tactics schema based on utility trees to suggest tactics according to NFRs and a collaborative component search. We used the framework in a real situation regarding to health-care industry project, obtaining components assemblies that satisfy the stake holders requirements, and also providing additional points of views, not initially considered by the stakeholders. Our framework helps software architects to achieve better alternatives to consider when evaluating components.