Software Engineering

14.3.2 
Evaluate functional alternatives
Functional models are a means of translating software requirements into logical 
or behavioral representations that focus on how a data processing transaction can 
be executed. This results in a functional decomposition from which the software 
structural configuration will be arranged. There are always multiple approaches to 
performing data processing transactions and deriving a functional breakdown. The 

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14.3 
Conduct the analysis
primary reasons for conducting trade studies concerning the functional architecture 
are:
1. 
Evaluating data processing transaction behaviors
. Transactions can become 
very complex as the number of conditional responses increase. Understanding 
all of the various discrepancies that may occur and determining the best 
approach to contend with each variation may necessitate the evaluation of 
alternatives.
2. 
Evaluating resource utilization concentrations
. Certain transactions may con-
sume a disproportionate amount of resources that must be resolved by determin-
ing how to adjust the data process burden to stabilize resource utilization.
3. 
Evaluating data processing deadlock situations and resolution approaches
. 
Deadlock can occur any time two data processing transactions compete for 
resources. Understanding the resource utilization and allocation management 
strategy associated with design alternatives may provide important insight on 
how to best avoid deadlock situations.
4. 
Evaluating failure modes and possible responses
. Understanding the most 
appropriate response strategy to failure modes may involve evaluating behavio-
ral alternatives. Failures may arise from a number of sources, and each failure 
mode will affect the data processing control flow. Alternative approaches to 
responding to failure conditions should be analyzed and socialized to determine 
the best response.