The strengths and weaknesses of software architecture design in the RUP, MSF, MBASE and RUP-SOA methodologies: A conceptual review

• The relevance of software architecture (SA) design for achieving high quality software is traced from their fundamental concepts.
• The SA design activities used in four relevant software development methodologies (SDMs) (RUP, MSF, MBASE and RUP-SOA) are reported.
• The SA design activities used in previous four SDMs are analyzed by using a highly cited and integrative SA design model (Hofmeister et al., 2007).
• MBASE, MSF and RUP-SOA were found highly satisfactory on theoretical adherence to the SA design model. RUP was found incomplete.
• Our research points out unsolved issues, which are venues for future research in software architecture design methods.

The importance of Software Architecture (SA) design has been acknowledged as a very important factor for a high-quality software development. Different efforts in both industry and academia have produced multiple system development methodologies (SDMs) that include SA design activities. In addition, standardization bodies have defined different recommendations regarding Software Architecture design. However, in industry Software Architecture best practices are currently poorly employed. This fact constrains the benefits that industry can potentially obtain from Software Architecture design in software development. In this paper, we analyze the degree to which the four main recognized SDMs — RUP (Rational Unified Process), MSF (Microsoft Solutions Framework), MBASE (Model-Based System Architecting and Software Engineering), and RUP-SOA (Rational Unified Process for Service-oriented Architecture) — adhere to the best practices of Software Architecture design. Our analysis points out some of the most important strengths and weaknesses regarding Software Architecture design and highlights some of the most relevant issues of Software Architecture design that need to be incorporated into such methodologies.