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The Role of Architecture and Evolutionary Development in Accommodating Change
Author(s) -
Isaac David,
McConaughy Gail
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
incose international symposium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2334-5837
DOI - 10.1002/j.2334-5837.1994.tb01749.x
Subject(s) - evolvability , computer science , systems engineering , turnkey , process (computing) , architecture , system of systems , limiting , systems architecture , paradigm shift , systems design , software engineering , engineering , mechanical engineering , art , telecommunications , philosophy , epistemology , evolutionary biology , visual arts , biology , operating system
Traditional systems engineering processes emphasize controlling changes, and are effective at ensuring the transformation of system requirements into a system implementation that successfully fulfills those requirements. For large information systems, however, the rate of change in missions and technology is now such that a system that successfully meets the original written requirements may be obsolete on delivery. The days of static turnkey systems are gone: systems must continually evolve to adapt to changes in their environment. To support evolutionary systems, certain changes are required in the systems engineering process. Specifically, a shift in emphasis from limiting change to accommodating change is called for. Accordingly, a shift in emphasis from system requirements to the system architecture is needed. This paper discusses the need for evolvability, the role of architecture in enhancing evolvability, and the changes to the systems engineering process needed to support evolutionary systems.