The Software Architecture Workshop for Educators was a three-day forum for sharing SEI software architecture technology with educators and for jointly determining ways to incorporate these concepts and methods into academic courses. The 2005 workshop took place in Pittsburgh, PA on August 2-4, 2005.

Software architecture determines how engineers communicate design decisions, how managers structure work breakdowns, and how both create software product lines. The Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute (SEI) has developed a collection of architectural methods and practices for designing software-intensive systems that meet their intended business and quality goals. These methods and their underlying focus on quality attributes can strengthen undergraduate and graduate courses on software architecture and design.

The workshop repeats the successful format from last year, beginning with a two-day course, Software Architecture: Principles and Practices, which is the root course in the SEI Software Architecture curriculum. This course introduces the basic concepts of software architecture including the relationship between system qualities and software architecture, architecture definition, architecture evaluation, architecture documentation, and architecture as a reusable asset. This course emphasizes the importance of the business or mission context in which systems are designed and built. Throughout this course, software architecture is presented in a real-world setting, reflecting both the constraints and the opportunities that organizations encounter in practice. Contents of the course are based on Software Architecture in Practice, 2nd Edition, which was given to workshop attendees.

The third day consisted of a brainstorming session, led by SEI architecture team members, on the inclusion of SEI software architecture concepts and methods in academic courses. The results from last year's workshop was also shared.

There was no charge for the workshop. However, attendees were responsible for their own travel and lodging expenses.

Attendees

Mari Anvari, ZIFIT
Len Bass, SEI
Roger Champagne, Ecole de technologie superieure
Mario Garcia, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Elsa Golden, Carnegie Mellon University
Larry Jones, SEI
Roger Lee, Central Michigan University
Bhabani Misra, University of St. Thomas
Warren Moseley, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Parviz Partwow-Navid, California State University
Rodney Rambally, University of Trinidad and Tobago
William Sheers, Washington & Jefferson College
Ludwig Slusky, California State University
Mei-Huei Tang, Gannon University
Jim Tomayko, Carnegie Mellon University
Rob Wojcik, SEI
Cui Zhang, California State University

Discussions

How to think architecturally

• What are the skills needed to be an architect?
• What are architects thought processes?

Key ideas to incorporate into software engineering course(s)

• quality attributes
• working in groups

Exercises and tool support for exercises

• maintenance exercise as a motivator
• students start their own company
• students present case studies
• take on the role of advocate for a particular quality attribute
• Lego robot project

Forming and expanding the software architecture educator’s community

• influence model curricula
• share contacts and work products
• apply to be an SEI visiting scientist

Schedule

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Software Architecture Principles and Practice Course

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Software Architecture Principles and Practice Course

Thursday, August 4, 2005 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Facilitated Group Discussion

• What from the course can be used in undergraduate courses?
• Where can it be used?
• What materials would you need to be able to teach the topics?

Thursday, August 4, 2005 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Breakout Groups: How would you include the topics?

Thursday, August 4, 20051:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Breakout Reports: Continued group discussion Discuss how to stay together/converse after the workshop