Use of the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) in Source Selection of Software-Intensive Systems
• SEI Report
Publisher
Software Engineering Institute
CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-2002-TN-010DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
10.1184/R1/6585656.v1Topic or Tag
Abstract
Software architecture is critical to the quality of a software-intensive system. For an acquisition organization, such as the Department of Defense (DoD), the ability to evaluate software architectures as early as possible in an acquisition can have a favorable impact on the delivered system. This technical note explains the role of software architecture evaluation in a source selection and describes the contractual elements that are needed to support its use. The note then briefly describes the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) and provides an example that shows how to apply this method in a source selection. The example includes sample contractual language that an acquirer can adapt to meet specific acquisition needs.
Part of a Collection
Software Architectures and Acquisition
Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method® Collection
Cite This SEI Report
Bergey, J., Fisher, M., & Jones, L. (2002, June 1). Use of the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) in Source Selection of Software-Intensive Systems. (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2002-TN-010). Retrieved August 19, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585656.v1.
@techreport{bergey_2002,
author={Bergey, John and Fisher, Matthew and Jones, Lawrence},
title={Use of the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) in Source Selection of Software-Intensive Systems},
month={Jun},
year={2002},
number={{CMU/SEI-2002-TN-010},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
doi={10.1184/R1/6585656.v1},
url={https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585656.v1},
note={Accessed: 2026-Aug-19}
}
Bergey, John, Matthew Fisher, and Lawrence Jones. "Use of the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) in Source Selection of Software-Intensive Systems." (CMU/SEI-2002-TN-010). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, June 1, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585656.v1.
J. Bergey, M. Fisher, and L. Jones, "Use of the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) in Source Selection of Software-Intensive Systems," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, SEI Report CMU/SEI-2002-TN-010, 1-Jun-2002 [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585656.v1. [Accessed: 19-Aug-2026].
Bergey, John, Matthew Fisher, and Lawrence Jones. "Use of the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) in Source Selection of Software-Intensive Systems." (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2002-TN-010). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Jun. 2002. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585656.v1. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.
Bergey, John; Fisher, Matthew; & Jones, Lawrence. Use of the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) in Source Selection of Software-Intensive Systems. CMU/SEI-2002-TN-010. Software Engineering Institute. 2002. DOI: 10.1184/R1/6585656.v1. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585656.v1