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| Assess Alternatives (LAAAM) ( 3 : DAR : 1 : 1.1 ) ( 3 : DAR : 1 : 1.2 ) ( 3 : DAR : 1 : 1.4 ) ( 3 : DAR : 1 : 1.5 ) Solution Architect
Activity: Assess Alternatives (LAAAM)
Solution Architect
Developer
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|  | Participating Roles Responsible: Solution Architect Developer Accountable: Solution Architect
### Overview The Lightweight Architecture Alternative Analysis Method (LAAAM) is used to help make decisions when choosing between different architectural strategies for building an application. The LAAAM typically takes one day to complete. Start by building a utility tree describing key quality and functional drivers of the application based on requirements. Each driver is written as a scenario that takes the form of a statement written as context, stimulus, and response. Use an assessment matrix to evaluate how well each strategy addresses each scenario. # Entry Criteria Quality of Service Requirements Used to determine quality factors in utility tree. Product Requirements Used to determine key functionality in utility tree. Proof of concept Used to guide evaluation of value, development cost, and operations cost of strategies. When: Requirements for current iteration are ready, or proof of concepts are evaluated. # Sub-Activities
1 | Create Utility Tree | Examine quality of service requirements and product requirements to determine the key drivers of quality and function in the application. Construct a utility tree that represents the overall quality of the application. The root node in the tree is labeled Utility. Subsequent nodes are typically labeled in standard quality terms such as modifiability, availability, security. The tree should represent the hierarchical nature of the qualities and provide a basis for prioritization. Each level in the tree is further refinement of the qualities. Ultimately these qualities become scenarios.
2 | Construct Assessment Matrix | For each leaf in the utility tree, write a scenario. The scenario is in the form of context, stimulus, and response. For example, "Under normal operation, perform a database transaction in fewer than 100 milliseconds." Open the assessment matrix template. Enter each scenario as a row in the assessment matrix. Enter each architectural strategy as a column. The intersection of strategies and scenarios are the cells where each strategy is rated against a scenario.
3 | Rate Strategies | Review the matrix and evaluate each cell in terms of value, development cost, and operations cost. Each rating is either low, low-medium, medium, medium-high, or high. Value is the overall quality of the solution that will be derived from applying the strategy to the scenario and also incorporates an assessment of risk. Development cost is the effort expected to realize the scenario in the context of the strategy. Operations cost is the expected run-time efficacy of the strategy in the context of the scenario. If a proof of concept has been built for a strategy, use information from that proof of concept to help determine the value, development cost, and operations cost.
4 | Normalize Matrix | Review the matrix a second time and calculate a rating number for each cell. Use the provided rate table in the assessment matrix template to calculate the numbers. For example, a cell with a value of Moderate (1), development cost of High (0), and operations cost of Low (2) equals a total rating number of 3. Upload the completed assessment matrix to the project portal.
# Exit Criteria
| Architecture assessment matrix is created.
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