Architecture Knowledge Representation and Communication Industry Survey

TL;DR

This survey investigates how industry professionals represent and communicate architectural knowledge in software engineering, highlighting gaps in domain-specific methods and the need for new architectural elements to support sustainability practices.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights into current industry practices, identifies the lack of domain-specific AK tools, and emphasizes the need for new architectural elements to enhance sustainability in software architecture.

Findings

No established domain-specific AK methods/tools in finance

Need for a new architectural element linking features and viewpoints

Practitioners are aware of sustainability but lack guidance

Abstract

Background: The literature offers various methods for capturing software architectural knowledge (AK), including views, viewpoints, and architecture decision records (ADRs). In parallel, sustainability has gained prominence in software engineering, especially concerning software architecture. Nevertheless, practical industry reviews on these subjects seem to be lacking. Aim: In this research we aim to understand the current practice in architecture knowledge, and to explore where sustainability can be applied to address sustainability in software architecture in the future. Method: We used a survey, which utilized a questionnaire containing 34 questions and collected responses from 45 architects working at a prominent bank in the Netherlands, aimed to evaluate the practical representation and communication of architectural knowledge and sustainability. Result: Our analysis yielded two primary discoveries and several intriguing detailed results regarding how AK is captured and conveyed to diverse stakeholders. Firstly, it seems crucial to develop a new architectural element that connects various architectural features and perspectives tailored for different stakeholders. Secondly, providing clear guidance, references, and goals is essential to motivate architects to adopt Sustainable Software Engineering practices. Conclusion: After analysing the data collected through this survey, we have concluded that: a) There are no established domain-specific AK methods/tools in the financial domain. Most practitioners use domain-generic tools. b) A new architectural element that links the various architectural features and viewpoints created for various stakeholders appears to be necessary. c) There is sufficient sustainability awareness and motivation among software architects. However, what they lack are clear guidance, references, and goals to practice sustainable software engineering.