What are the common challenges and pitfalls of prioritizing quality attributes in software design?

1 Trade-offs and conflicts

One of the main challenges of prioritizing quality attributes is that they often conflict or trade-off with each other, or with the functional requirements. For example, increasing security may reduce usability or performance, or adding more features may compromise maintainability or scalability. Therefore, prioritizing quality attributes requires a careful analysis of the relative importance and impact of each attribute, and a balance between competing or complementary goals. To achieve this, you can use techniques such as quality attribute scenarios, utility trees, or analytic hierarchy process, to elicit, specify, and evaluate quality attributes, and to make informed trade-off decisions.

2 Stakeholder involvement

Another challenge of prioritizing quality attributes is that they depend on the perspective and expectations of different stakeholders, such as customers, users, developers, managers, or regulators. Each stakeholder may have different or conflicting views on what constitutes a good quality system, and how to measure and achieve it. Therefore, prioritizing quality attributes requires a high level of stakeholder involvement and communication, to understand and align their needs and preferences, and to manage their expectations and feedback. To achieve this, you can use techniques such as interviews, surveys, workshops, or prototypes, to elicit, validate, and prioritize quality attributes from different stakeholder perspectives.

3 Uncertainty and change

A third challenge of prioritizing quality attributes is that they are often uncertain or subject to change, due to the dynamic and complex nature of software systems and environments. For example, quality attributes may be influenced by factors such as user behavior, market demand, technology evolution, or regulatory requirements, which may vary over time or across contexts. Therefore, prioritizing quality attributes requires a flexible and adaptive approach, to cope with uncertainty and change, and to accommodate new or evolving quality requirements. To achieve this, you can use techniques such as agile methods, iterative design, or evolutionary architecture, to prioritize quality attributes in an incremental and responsive way, and to incorporate feedback and learning.

4 Measurement and evaluation

A fourth challenge of prioritizing quality attributes is that they are often difficult to measure and evaluate, due to their abstract or subjective nature. For example, quality attributes such as usability, reliability, or security may not have clear or universal definitions or metrics, or may depend on human perception or judgment. Therefore, prioritizing quality attributes requires a rigorous and systematic approach, to define and measure quality attributes, and to evaluate their achievement and satisfaction. To achieve this, you can use techniques such as quality models, standards, or frameworks, to establish and apply quality criteria and indicators, and to conduct quality assessments and reviews.

5 Documentation and communication

A fifth challenge of prioritizing quality attributes is that they are often poorly documented or communicated, due to their implicit or hidden nature. For example, quality attributes may not be explicitly stated or documented in the requirements specification, or may not be adequately communicated to the developers or users. This can lead to misunderstandings, inconsistencies, or gaps in the software design and architecture, and affect the software quality and performance. Therefore, prioritizing quality attributes requires a clear and consistent documentation and communication, to capture and convey quality attributes, and to ensure their alignment and traceability throughout the software development process. To achieve this, you can use techniques such as architectural views, patterns, or styles, to document and communicate quality attributes and their implications for the software design and architecture.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?