Customer Reviews

Software Systems Architecture: Working With Stakeholders Using Viewpoints and Perspectives

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When it comes to the systems or software architecture, I subscribe to Tom Demarco's definition: "An architecture is a framework for the disciplined introduction of change." (http://www.systemsguild.com/GuildSite/TDM/Architecture.html). And while most of the job postings matching "architect" these days talk about the need for writing and testing code, there is a growing awareness in the industry that in order to build a resilient enterprise system an organization must look beyond design patterns and coding idioms. In addition to the technical challenges, building large enterprise system requires effort of many professionals during an extended period of time. This brings other non-technical risks into the picture.

This is one of the better books covering many issues that comprise System Architecture discipline in the light of their personal experience. The authors introduce us to an approach for partitioning architecture using Viewpoints (behavioral characteristics, e.g. Functional, Information, Concurrency, Development, Deployment, Operational) and Perspectives (nonfunctional aspects, e.g. Security, Performance and Scalability, Availability and Resilience, Evolution).

The first half of the book describes the discipline of Application Software Architecture, the second half contains two catalogs, one for Viewpoints and the other for Perspectives. Both catalogs describe concerns, artifacts (models), problems and pitfalls when focusing on a viewpoint or perspective.

I would qualify this book as a companion and reference for a beginner through intermediate level. It gives an excellent overview of what a system architect has to go through day in and day out to achieve success. The book contains a wealth of advice on what to pay and not pay attention to in any particular stage of the architectural development. The authors clearly speak from personal experience. Their examples are always to the point, although a bit sketchy with respect to details on techniques and artifacts and how to develop and use them. Considering the site of the volume, the authors did an excellent job balancing width and depth of coverage: trying to cover such a vast discipline in detail in a 500+-page book is not possible.

My reason for buying this book was to hear what the authors had to say about handling cross-cutting architectural concerns (such as security), which they refer to as "perspectives". The authors offer refreshing insights into how such concerns should be interwoven with the architecture views/viewpoints with which many architects will already be familiar when documenting their software architectures.

But now that I've finally finished reading the book (500+ pages) I have to say that this book is so much more. This is essentially a "book of 2 halves". The first half discusses fundamental architecture concepts, and various elements of the architecture process. However, the second half of the book is dedicated to a catalog of viewpoints and a catalog of perspectives. These sections are, I think, the most valuable, and offer probably the best overview of different architectural concerns (such as concurrency, deployment, operations, security, availability etc.) I've come across. And the whole book is liberally sprinkled with pragmatic advice, and examples, based on the authors' experiences.

In summary, the book makes a great "handbook" for both novice and experienced architects.

SECOND EDITION REVIEW:
Some might look at my book collect and think I have hoarding issues. If I had to pick just one Software Architecture book to keep, this would be the one.

This is the second edition of one of the best books written on software systems architecture. If you are in the software development industry, you should read this book. If you are a Software Architect, you must read this book.

This book covers a vast amount of material but it ties it all together in a way that paints a complete picture of what software systems architecture is all about.

The book starts out covering architecture fundamentals. There is a chapter on Software Architecture Concepts, Viewpoints and Views, Architectural Perspectives, and The Role of the Software Architect.

It then presents a process for software architecture and explains all the elements involved with the process. This part of the book contains chapters on The Architecture Definition Process, Concerns, Principles and Decisions, Identifying and Engaging Stakeholders, Identifying and Using Scenarios, Using Styles and Patterns, Producing Architectural Models, and Evaluating the Architecture.

Next is a viewpoint catalog. The part of the book goes into the details of the different viewpoints the authors recommend considering as part of you architectural analysis. The viewpoints include Context, Information, Functional, Concurrency, Information, Development, Deployment, and Operational. Each viewpoint is a separate chapter. This section ends with a chapter that show how to achieve consistency across views.

After the viewpoint catalog the authors present a perspective catalog. Perspectives ensure that quality properties that cross several views are accounted for and analyzed. The perspective catalog includes Security, Performance and Scalability, Availability and Resilience, Evolution, Accessibility, Development Resource, Internationalization, Location, Regulation, and Usability.

The book ends with a chapter that ties everything together and a nice appendix that shows the relationship of the author's Viewpoints and Perspectives to other processes. They include Kruchten 4+1, RM-ODP, Siemens, SEI's Views and Beyond, Garland and Anthony, IAF, Zachman, and TOGAF.

I am lucky they came out with a second edition because my first edition is getting pretty beat up. It has scribbling from tons of different projects in it. The first edition has not left my side since I purchased it and this second edition won't leave my side either.

One of the things I like about this book is that the authors complete the picture. They don't say here is one example of a pitfall, concern, or tactic, they present a nice long list that really helps lead you through the process. Keeping this book handy helps me think of things I am sure to overlook.

Another thing I like about this book is that it is not a reinvention of the wheel. The authors do a great job of incorporating industry best practices that have withstood the test of time, as well as included all the newer elements of software architecture that have come about in recent years.

If you have the first edition, the second edition is worth getting. There is updated information scattered throughout the book as well as a new Context viewpoint. There has been 132 pages added.

I said this about the first version and it still holds true with the second edition... Even if you are not an architect it is a great book to buy so you understand what to expect out of one. I may buy a few extra copies to give out on projects so they understand why I am supposed to be there. Anyone reading this book should have a great and complete understanding of architecture and the value it adds to a project.

FIRST EDITION REVIEW:
This is an awesome book for Architects. It ties together the SEI books Software Architecture in Practice, 2nd Edition and Documenting Software Architectures: Views and Beyond in its own way making Architecture very understandable.

I am not going to blabber about each chapter I will just say they are all excellent and complete. Go to the book's site for more info on the details of the book. [...]

I have over 10 years of experience as a software architect. This book is an excellent addition to my library. It is an easy read with tons of info in it.

Even if you are not an architect it is a great book to buy so you understand what to expect out of one. I may buy a few extra copies to give out on projects so they understand why I am supposed to be there. Anyone reading this book should have a great and complete understanding of architecture and the value it adds to a project.

The authors give the reader detailed and useful suggestions about designing a software system. It should be made clear that this is not a programming book. Coding particulars are at a finer level outside the book's scope.

The book is addressed to the software architect. Which can be rather a vague job role. One merit of the book is that it can be used to define what a software architect does. While the authors might not claim to encompass everything in your job description, perhaps what is given here is your core responsibility.

So the text shows how to identify and use scenarios, to build sets of scenarios. And yet be able to construct inherently different scenarios. A vital feature of making the scenarios is how it involves the stakeholders very early in the design. Vital in preventing misunderstandings about undesigned or unneeded functionalities, before they get built into the system.

Then, given a system, the text explains how to document it using UML. The latter is extremely useful. Both for programmers who might have to design to it, and for the stakeholders. The visual nature of UML helps make it understandable to both parties.

This very readable book covers covers a lot of ground. It's a great introduction for those interested in software architecture; it's also a got a lot of great insights and useful information for practicing s/w architects.

Two of the main benefits this book has over other architecture books are:

a) it's one of the more up-to-date (Spring/2005) texts available on the subject

b) it's agnostic: giving equal coverage to all of the main schools, rather than focusing on just one.

One (relatively) unique idea in this book is the notion of "views" (as in Hofmeister or Krutchen) vs "perspectives"; perspectives being issues such as "security" that tend to cut *across* views.

Another thing I really liked was the emphasis on "architecture" as fundamentally driven by, and created for - the *stakeholders*.

This book is a great buy: it contains a lot of interesting, useful and important ideas and information about the art and science of software architecture.

Very, very highly recommended!

I was impressed with this book's unique perspective of blending the business and technical needs into a single focus, and it continued to maintain the human considerations. It does an excellent job of describing how to support business decisions through architecture at a macro level in a style where "the rubber hits the road."

If you are a systems analyst or a software development manager, this shouldn't be on your book shelf - it should be on your desk for regular reference.

I am part of a software engineering process improvement group. In simple this means that I have read more books on software engineering in the last year than I care to mention. There are many good books on architecture, but the ones I have read all seem to conflict with one another and they didn't go to the tactical depths we needed to structure a solid process. I have found this book to be one of the best investments I have every made. I have recommended this book to at least five other co-worker who have all thanked me twice. Buy a copy for you, and a friend, and your boss, ....

As the title indicates this book is one on software architecture. What sets it apart from many books in that area is that it presents a pragmatic approach to architecture. The basic premise introduced is splitting the architecture into different views, which each address a specific set of concerns, such as information, concurrency, deployment, development etc. The concept of views is not a new one, however what the authors introduce is the concept of viewpoint which is the concrete representation of the view through templates, and artifacts. These artifacts include questions and checkpoints one should go through to describe the architecture.

The above view and viewpoints cover more or less the functional requirements. Perspectives on the other hand cover the quality attributes such as availability, scalability, usability etc. The authors then show how perspectives and viewpoints work together to represent the overall architecture. This includes showing the areas of overlap of these viewpoints/perspectives and how they are to be addressed. The book is supplemented with materials (templates, cheat sheets, questionnaires) on the following website: [...].

This is a great software architecture reference and one that you will keep on your desk to refer to on an ongoing basis, particularly because of its pragmatic approach. A must read for any software architect. It will also help developers anticipate the questions that will be asked during an architectural review, and things to consider throughout the life-cycle of a software project.

I just started moving into the role of architect after several years as developer. This book gives excellent overview of the various terminology, diagrams, views and processes involved in the field of architecture. This book provides you with the needed knowledge during your initial phase of your career as an architect.

I've looked at some other books on architecture but they are all pretty dry and boring. This book is well structured into five parts and all the parts are written in a very interesting way. I am very happy to own this book. This book is going to stay with me for the rest of my career. I would strongly recommend anyone interested in the field of architecture to start with this book.

This book is wonderful to align one in the right direction as far as software architecture is concerned. It identifies the various structures that make up the ultimate architecture in clear terms so one can understand and not drown in the general terms. After reading this book one who is aspiting to become an architect will have the right details under their belt to make sound architectural decisions.