DocumentCode :
1949745
Title :
Characterizing essential and incidental complexity in software architectures
Author :
Sangwan, R.S. ; Neill, C.J.
Author_Institution :
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA, USA
fYear :
2009
fDate :
14-17 Sept. 2009
Firstpage :
265
Lastpage :
268
Abstract :
This paper reports results from an experimental case study that seeks to characterize essential and incidental complexity in the design of a complex software product using design structure matrices (DSMs). A DSM captures structural dependencies among the modules and can be used to identify parts of a system that lack cohesion and/ or are highly coupled. We consider such parts as excessively complex. In the case study, we capture the complexity of an Internet-based collaborative system as it was originally designed and after it was redesigned using an architecture-centric development methodology. We find significant reduction in excessive complexity of the redesigned system suggesting that excessive complexity can be an incidental byproduct of a development methodology that lacks focus on the systemic properties of a system that strongly influence its architecture.
Keywords :
groupware; software architecture; software metrics; Internet-based collaborative system; architecture-centric development methodology; complex software product; design structure matrices; essential complexity; incidental complexity; software architectures; Catalogs; Collaboration; Computer architecture; Connective tissue; Internet; Product design; Software architecture; Software design; Software systems; Visualization;
fLanguage :
English
Publisher :
ieee
Conference_Titel :
Software Architecture, 2009 & European Conference on Software Architecture. WICSA/ECSA 2009. Joint Working IEEE/IFIP Conference on
Conference_Location :
Cambridge
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-4984-2
Type :
conf
DOI :
10.1109/WICSA.2009.5290816
Filename :
5290816
Link To Document :
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