Axiomatic Software Architecture
Aydin E. Homay, Mário de Sousa · 2025
In his March 2009 resume, David L. Parnas noted that the phrase “software engineering” was coined to urge software designers to adopt the knowledge and discipline of engineers in other domains, allowing them to rely on well-developed problem-solving skills, analytical methods, mathematics, and scientific knowledge instead of relying exclusively on intuition and natural ability. We attempt to work towards that goal by reintroducing axiomatic design into software engineering, addressing major concerns and critiques highlighted by previous research in the field. The axiomatic design offers a scientific approach to improve design activities based on rational and logical thought processes and tools. The ultimate goal of axiomatic design is to encourage solution-neutral thinking to identify problems and requirements, fostering human designer's creativity, reducing random search process, and minimizing random trial-and-error to determine the best design among those proposed.