Software Engineering

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CHAPTER 14 
Software Analysis Practice
complicated than a cost-benefit analysis since it is intended to achieve a bal-
ance among a broader range of competing product characteristics, technical and  
project-related risk factors, as well as considerations for life-cycle cost implica-
tions. Software architectural design alternatives must be expressed in terms of the 
level of stakeholder satisfaction, projected software product life-cycle costs (devel-
opment and post-development processes operations), and anticipated benefits to the 
enterprise over time. Software engineering trade studies are devised to be holistic 
by considering a full range of factors in the decision-making process.
Trade studies must be established in a manner that provides a “value” assess-
ment for competing architectural alternatives. Architectural decisions should con-
tribute to establishing an enduring structural framework (composition, organization, 
arrangement, and structure) for the software product that can withstand extreme 
operational situations, adapt to changing computer technology, and accommodate 
future enhancements and improvements. Software architectural alternatives must be 
evaluated in a manner that permits the analysts to gather information concerning a 
variety of design repercussions, including:
●
  Software product features and functionality
●
  Product performance
●
  Aesthetics or user interface “look and feel”
●
  Difficulty to implement
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  Difficulty to test and evaluate
●
  Impact on software replication (reproduce the executables on distribution 
media) and distribution
●
  Impact on user training and comprehension
●
  Impact on customer support processes
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  Impact on product support processes
●
  Impact on product enhancement and scalability
●
  Alignment with organizational objectives, such as product lines, component 
reuse, and product frameworks.
Software analysis involves 16 tasks that are organized within six general 
themes. These themes identify a typical flow for conducting a trade study. However, 
the tasks within a theme may be conducted in any order or sequence suitable to the 
trade-study situation. The trade-study themes and tasks are identified in 
Figure 14.1
. 
The six themes are: