Evaluation of dynamic adaptivity through metrics: an achievable target?

Dynamic adaptivity is one of the most challenging non-functional issues to address during the engineering of information systems. Furthermore, it is even harder to evaluate. The definition of mechanisms through which adaptivity may be evaluated would be very useful both for the maintainability, reusability, and evolution of adaptive systems, and for the relations which may be established among adaptive systems (e.g., interaction, integration). In this paper we propose examples of metrics for dynamic adaptivity which may be considered a starting point for future research on (1) the feasibility related to the definition of measurable evaluation mechanisms for adaptive systems, and (2) the usability of these metrics as design hints in the development process of new adaptive systems and as formal approaches for the evaluation of existing adaptive systems.