CMU CS 15-675 Architectures for Software Systems Spring 1998

Software Architecture Analysis Method (SAAM)

with answers

Garlan & Kazman Questions on Readings for Lecture 13 Due: Monday, Feb. 23, 1998

The papers:

[BCK]: Chapter 9

Hints:

We frequently reason about software architectures with respect to their properties, particularly their properties in the realm of quality attributes: modifiability, performance, security, and so forth. Consider, however, what it means for a system to be "modifiable". Can a system ever be considered modifiable? And, if so, how would you ascertain this quality and document it (so that you or subsequent designers and programmers didn’t inadvertently change it).

Questions:

1) SAAM is a scenario-based analysis method. Given that the results depend crucially on the set of scenarios generated, how do you know that you’ve generated enough?

Two possibilities: 1) when you run out of resources (a not very satisfying answer); 2) when the addition of a new scenario is no longer expected to reveal anything about the design (on analogy with testing).

2) What is the difference between a direct and an indirect scenario?

A direct scenario is a use of, or execution of, the existing system. An indirect scenario is a modification to the existing system.


Back

Heather L. Marko

Modified: 5/20/98