Capturing Software Architecture Knowledge for Pattern-Driven Design

Abstract

Context: Software architecture is a knowledge-intensive field. One mechanism for storing architecture knowledge is the recognition and description of architectural patterns. Selecting architectural patterns is a challenging task for software architects, as knowledge about these patterns is scattered among a wide range of literature. Method: We report on a systematic literature review, intending to build a decision model for the architectural pattern selection problem. Moreover, twelve experienced practitioners at software-producing organizations evaluated the usability and usefulness of the extracted knowledge. Results: An overview is provided of 29 patterns and their effects on 40 quality attributes. Furthermore, we report in which systems the 29 patterns are applied and in which combinations. The practitioners confirmed that architectural knowledge supports software architects with their decision-making process to select a set of patterns for a new problem. We investigate the potential trends among architects to select patterns. Conclusion: With the knowledge available, architects can more rapidly select and eliminate combinations of patterns to design solutions. Having this knowledge readily available supports software architects in making more efficient and effective design decisions that meet their quality concerns.