How do you know whether your system will achieve qualities that are important to your organization, such as performance, reliability, security, and maintainability? The quality of a system emanates in large part from its software architecture. Software architecture provides the most fundamental basis for communicating design decisions and reasoning about key system quality attributes.
The SEI Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) is a proven method for evaluating software architectures. Government and industry organizations such as Aetna, BAE Systems, Boeing, Cisco, KPMG, Lockheed Martin, Motorola, Nationwide, Raytheon, Robert Bosch GmbH, Siemens, U.S. Army and Unisys have used the ATAM for more than 10 years to expose architectural risks that threaten their ability to achieve their business goals.
As Rolf Siegers of Raytheon said in his keynote address at the 2006 SEI Software Architecture Technology User Network (SATURN) Conference, “The SEI in the software architecture arena is a pioneer and has been for more than a decade.”
SEI-Certified ATAM Leaders conduct SEI-authorized ATAM evaluations on behalf of SEI Partner organizations. An SEI-authorized ATAM evaluation is led by an SEI-Certified ATAM Leader whose team is made up of individuals who have received the SEI ATAM Evaluator certificate. SEI-Certified ATAM Leaders are experts in software architecture evaluation using the ATAM, which requires technical expertise in software architecture and quality attributes, a working knowledge of the ATAM, and strong facilitation skills. The five-course sequence and field exercise that comprise the ATAM Leader certification provide a qualified software professional with the technical depth and social techniques needed to lead an SEI-authorized ATAM.
Experience
at least five years of experience working in a software engineering environment, including two years of experience in the construction of software-intensive systems as a designer, architect, or related senior technical role
at least two years of experience developing software
BS degree in computer science or related academic discipline
Additional recommended knowledge and skills:
superior oral and written communications skills
ability to interact with domain and technical experts
demonstrated knowledge and experience in software architecture
facilitation skills and experience
Before applying to become an SEI-Certified ATAM Leader, you must successfully complete the following from the SEI or an SEI-authorized provider:
Obtain an ATAM Evaluator Certificate by completing
Attend the following courses:
Participate as an ATAM evaluator on at least one ATAM evaluation team and receive a positive recommendation from the ATAM Leader.
Complete the Code of Professional Conduct form. Attach the signed form when submitting the application.
An SEI Partner organization must recommend you to the SEI for this role by submitting a Partner Candidate Sponsorship form.
Army candidates also need to be endorsed by their management to become an SEI-Certified ATAM Leader. Candidates will need to use the SEI’s endorsement form.
Submit the application to become an SEI-Certified ATAM Leader. An ATAM Leader Review Board will review your application. Your application package must include the following:
completed and signed ATAM Leader application
copy of current resume
recommendation form from an ATAM Leader
Submit your application package by mail, fax, or email to
Software Engineering Institute
Carnegie Mellon University
Room 2300A
4500 Fifth Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Fax: 412-268-5758
Email: Certification-Info@sei.cmu.edu
Within 18 months of successfully completing ATAM Leader training, you must demonstrate the ability to successfully lead an SEI-authorized ATAM evaluation:
The candidate's organizational sponsor requests an observation for its SEI-Certified ATAM Leader candidate.
Only one candidate SEI-Certified ATAM Leader can be observed per evaluation.
If an interpreter or translator is required, the Partner is responsible for obtaining and paying an SEI-approved interpreter or translator.
The ATAM observation enables an experienced ATAM Leader to observe and evaluate the candidate as he or she conducts a software architecture evaluation using the ATAM. The observer will provide you with feedback at the conclusion of the observation and will submit an observation report to the SEI for your candidate observation package.
The SEI ATAM Leader Review Board will review your performance during training and the field exercise. Successful candidates will receive a welcome kit that contains a certification diploma and other information about SEI certification. If at any time your performance during qualification is unsatisfactory, the SEI will provide you with feedback and, if necessary, steps for remediation. Any additional SEI support for remedial work will be billed in accordance with your sponsoring SEI Partner’s license agreement.
Your ATAM Leader certification is valid for a period of three years from the award date. The SEI requires that you renew your certification according to the SEI-Certified ATAM Leader certification renewal requirements, including
maintain SEI-Certified ATAM Leader certification in good standing
maintain sponsorship with an SEI Partner
attend two of the annual ATAM Leader workshops during the renewal cycle
submit ATAM data to the SEI in accordance with established processes for each ATAM evaluation performance. A minimum of one ATAM evaluation and submission of data is required in the three-year period.
The ATAM: Evaluating architectures, achieving quality
The SEI Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) is the leading method in the area of software architecture evaluation. An evaluation using the ATAM typically takes three to four days and gathers together a trained evaluation team, architects, and representatives of the architecture's various stakeholders. Proven benefits of the ATAM includeMore Information...
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