A Cognitive Model for Software Architecture Complexity

Author

Bouwers, Eric ; Visser, Joost ; Lilienthal, Carola ; Van Deursen, Arie

Author_Institution

Software Improvement Group, Amsterdam, Netherlands

fYear

2010

fDate

June 30 2010-July 2 2010

Firstpage

152

Lastpage

155

Abstract

This paper introduces a Software Architecture Complexity Model (SACM) based on theories from cognitive science and system attributes that have proven to be indicators of maintainability in practice. SACM can serve as a formal model to reason about why certain attributes influence the complexity of an implemented architecture. Also, SACM can be used as a starting point in existing architecture evaluation methods such as the ATAM. Alternatively, SACM can be used in a stand-alone fashion to reason about a software architecture´s complexity.

Keywords

software architecture; architecture evaluation methods; cognitive science; software architecture complexity model; system attributes; Cognitive science; Computer architecture; Counting circuits; Investments; Paper technology; Performance evaluation; Software architecture; Software engineering; Software maintenance; Software systems; Cognitive models; Complexity; Software Architecture; Software Architecture Evaluation;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Program Comprehension (ICPC), 2010 IEEE 18th International Conference on

Conference_Location

Braga, Minho

ISSN

1092-8138

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-7604-6

Electronic_ISBN

1092-8138

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ICPC.2010.28

Filename

5521750