Introducing

By

Innocent Akhidenor & Ahmed Ibrahim

ECE 750 - Fall 2013

The Microsoft IIS Structure

Source: VisualComplexity.com

Architecture Recovery

Lattix LDM, founded to visualize and manage the architecture of complex software

systems

Dependency Model

• A Dependency Model is the representation of the architecture of a system. It consists of:

• An ordered hierarchical decomposition of the System into its Subsystems

• Display of current dependencies between Subsystems

• Design Rules for allowable dependencies between Subsystems

Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM)

• Class Reference - A

reference to a class or

object, but not to any of the

objects members.

• Invokes - A method call

• Inherits - A reference to a

superclass, or to Interface

implemented

• Data Member Reference -

A reference to a variable of

a class / object

Design Rules

• Each cell in a DSM represents a “design intent”

• Dependency Model = DSM + Design Rules

DSM with Rules View

Green Triangle – Dependency Acceptable

Yellow Triangle – Dependency Unacceptable

Red Triangle – Rule Violation Discovered

Why Lattix ?

• Create a system blueprint by mapping dependencies across the various domains of the system

• Analyze, optimize, and specify the system architecture through the DSM, diagrams, and dependency rules

• Identify dependencies which violate the architecture

• Identify and explore opportunities to improve the modularity of the system

• Measure quality with key metrics and track changes to the system architecture over time

• Assess the impact and risk of proposed changes to the system

Using Lattix

1. Create a initial DSM of your Application

2. Organize the DSM to reflect the Intended Architecture

3. Design Rules: Specify External Library Usage

4. Design Rules: Specify Application Interdependencies

5. Print out the DSM and the Conceptual Architecture

Case Study

Example /1

Case study:

Example /2

Subsystem with

internal dependenciesThe (N x N) matrix shows

how each subsystem is

related to every other

subsystem

Architecture Patterns using DSM 1/3

Layered System

Architecture Patterns using DSM 2/3

Strictly Layered System

Architecture Patterns using DSM 3/3

Example /3

Demo...Please

Okay

Example /1

Case study:

Recommended Reading

Design Structure Matrix

Methods and

Applications by

Steven Eppinger,

2012

Questions?

References

1. N. Sangal, E. Jordan, V. Sinha, and D. Jackson, “Using Dependency Models to Manage Complex Software Architecture,” Proc. 20th Conf. Object Oriented Programming, Systems, Languages, and Applications, 2005