ArchStudio 4: Supporting Stakeholder-Driven, Multi-View Software Architecture Modeling

Student: Eric M. Dashofy , UC Irvine/ISR

Advisor: Richard N. Taylor, UC Irvine/ISR

Abstract: Modeling the architecture — that is, the principal design decisions — of a software-intensive system gives designers the ability to increase the understanding of those systems early, avoid defects, and to ensure that their intent is carried forward into later development activities. Existing approaches to architecture modeling support general concerns well, but are difficult or impossible to adapt to encompass domain- or project-specific concerns. I will present my work developing xADL and ArchStudio, a highly-extensible notation and environment for architecture modeling that can be adapted by stakeholders to fit their specific needs. These technologies modularize the formerly monolithic world of architecture modeling, visualization, and analysis, allowing stakeholders to compose modeling solutions from modules and add new modules to support new capabilities.

Bio:

Eric Dashofy is putting the finishing touches on his PhD in Information and Computer Science at the University of California, Irvine. Under his adviser Richard Taylor, his research has focused on software and system architecture modeling. He is a co-developer of the xADL 2.0 extensible architecture description language and is the lead developer of the ArchStudio line of modeling environments. His other interests include intellectual property issues, the relationship between architecture and middleware, and user-interface design.