Architecting for Variability in Quality Attributes of Software Systems
Matthias Galster · 2015
Variability in software systems is usually concerned with variability in features and functionality. However, variability also occurs in quality attributes (e.g., performance, security) and quality attribute requirements (for example, a performance requirement may state that a system must respond to a user request within 0.1 seconds). We discuss what variability in quality attributes is, including several scenarios in which variability in quality attributes can occur. We then discuss the state of research and what we know about variability in quality attributes, including some existing research to address the challenge of identifying, implementing and managing variability in quality attributes. Finally, we discuss potential directions for future research.