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Defining and Validating a Multimodel Approach for Product Architecture Derivation and Improvement

  • Javier González-Huerta
  • Emilio Insfrán
  • Silvia Abrahão
Conference paper
Part of the Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS, volume 8107)

Abstract

Software architectures are the key to achieving the non-functional requirements (NFRs) in any software project. In software product line (SPL) development, it is crucial to identify whether the NFRs for a specific product can be attained with the built-in architectural variation mechanisms of the product line architecture, or whether additional architectural transformations are required. This paper presents a multimodel approach for quality-driven product architecture derivation and improvement (QuaDAI). A controlled experiment is also presented with the objective of comparing the effectiveness, efficiency, perceived ease of use, intention to use and perceived usefulness with regard to participants using QuaDAI as opposed to the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM). The results show that QuaDAI is more efficient and perceived as easier to use than ATAM, from the perspective of novice software architecture evaluators. However, the other variables were not found to be statistically significant. Further replications are needed to obtain more conclusive results.

Keywords

Software Product Lines Architectural Patterns Quality Attributes Model Transformations Controlled Experiment 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • Javier González-Huerta
    • 1
  • Emilio Insfrán
    • 1
  • Silvia Abrahão
    • 1
  1. 1.ISSI Research GroupUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaValenciaSpain

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