Explicating Critical Assumptions in Software Architectures Using AADL

Abstract

Developers make assumptions constantly at different levels and throughout software development lifecycles. Implicit assumptions made during higher development levels, such as in architecture design, have major impacts which lead to systems failures and poor performances according to research findings. In this thesis we have taken a quantitative approach to develop a modeling method for explication of architectural assumptions by specifying their information in architecture descriptions using the AADL. Our work has resulted in an assumption modeling method that consists of two main parts; assumption specification meta-model and assumption specification approach. Assumption specification meta-model is used for structuring the information about assumptions. The proposed specification approach uses the AADL concepts to specify the meta-models together with architecture descriptions. In this study two approaches are investigated. One of the approaches uses property sets while the other one uses annex in the AADL for specifying meta-models together with architecture description. A case example is also introduced to assist illustrating the methods. We believe that the proposed assumption modeling method can be used by software architects and design decision makers in order to provide assumption awareness and traceability which are two main identified keys in this thesis work towards systematic management of assumptions.