Quick Evaluation of a Software Architecture Using the Decision-Centric Architecture Review Method: An Experience Report

Software architecture evaluations allow systematic checking of software architecture fitness regarding the context and business. However, selecting and using an evaluation method always have some challenges and issues. This article reports an architecture review while developing an innovation projects support platform for a Chilean R&D and engineering institution. We chose DCAR (Decision-Centric Architecture Review) because it has lightweight requirements on documentation and resources, it can evaluate a project already running, and it did not impact a schedule where architecture reviews had not been considered from the start. We describe the review of three accepted and one rejected decisions. Lessons learned and benefits observed include recording decisions' rationale, visibilization of some technological issues, and rethinking of some previously made architectural decisions. Finally, we recommend making frequent mini-reviews of architecture decisions, to understand the architecture, formalize it with its resulting reports, and raise its visibility in the team itself.