Towards Multi-Dimensional Separating of NFRs in Software Architecture

Software architecture design is an important stage in the whole software development lifecycle. Yet non-functional requirements (NFRs) have been afflicted architects for a long time and how to efficiently design and address them also becomes a big headache problem. This paper focuses on the NFRs in architecture and offers a preliminary insight on separating them in a multiple dimensional way. Consequently, it proposes a model named "1+X" for handling NFRs in architecture, including classifying those into 12 dimensions, and then specifying and mapping those into aspects. By this model, architects can easily analyze and handle NFRs during the architecture design for a specific system.