Software Engineering

13.3.1 
Establish performance benchmarks
The performance characteristics (benchmarks) of prominent design mechanisms 
should be established for the bottom tier of the structural design solution. Prominent 
design mechanisms involve structural elements of which the notional data structures, 
data transformation algorithms, data integrity assurance, and data transference pro-
cedures are computationally demanding or challenging. Performance benchmarks 
establish estimated data processing efficiencies and effectiveness of design mecha-
nisms within the boundary of the structural design. Performance benchmarks estab-
lish the design goals for structural elements against which software implementation 
can be evaluated. Performance benchmarks are derived from the structural specifica-
tions accounting for the distribution of data processing functionality among structural 
units and components identified within the bottom tier of the structural configuration.
It is necessary to establish the performance benchmarks for the bottom-tier 
structural elements since they represent the building block that will be implemented 
(designed, coded, and tested) against the structural specifications. The performance 
benchmarks must establish the performance requirements to be specified for the 
lower-tier structural units and components.
The performance of the integrated software product is a result of the sequen-
tial integration of the structural elements, through several levels of integration. 
Software performance engineering must account for the effect of any encumbrance 
the assimilation burden may have at the integrated component or product levels. 

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