Evaluating Software Architecture Evaluation Methods

Context: The size and complexity of software systems along with the demand for ensuring quality requirements have fostered the interest in software architecture evaluation methods. Although several empirical studies have been reported, the actual body of knowledge is still insufficient. To address this concern, we presented a family of four controlled experiments that compares a recently proposed method, the Quality-Driven Architecture Derivation and Improvement (QuaDAI) method against the well-known Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM).