Author: Maikel Mardjan

  • Machine learning reference architecture

    Architecture is a minefield. And creating a good architecture for new innovative machine learning systems and applications is an unpaved road. Architecture is not by definition high level and sometimes relevant details are of the utmost importance. But getting details of the inner working on the implementation level of machine learning algorithms can be very hard. So a reference architecture on machine learning should help you in several ways. (more…)

  • Creating stupid software

    Everyone wants to create smart solutions. You want a smart home, smart city and maybe even a smart government. I never meet people who want to create stupid software. The use of software should be idiot proof, but making things really simple to solve a complex problem is very hard.

    Machine learning enables everyone to create smart solutions for very complex problems. At least that is a promise claimed by many commercial vendors selling you Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning (ML) driven solutions.  But getting the essence of machine learning means you must reset your brain. (more…)

  • The Zero (0) Complexity Business IT Design principles

    Business IT Complexity prevention is a must for keeping your company agile and adaptive. Stop wasting time and money on complexity. Effective complexity prevention prevents hidden cost, improves quality and enforces an in-depth understanding of problems and customer needs. The 0CX (zero complexity) standard defines architecture and design principles to prevent complexity for new products. A high level of complexity often means serious risks and cost for systems. Especially for systems where humans, processes, software and new technology play a major role. (more…)

  • Solving problems requires systems thinking. Always!

    When we try to solve problems one of the difficulties is that we humans are lazy. This means that we like to think of problems in terms of simple causal relations between a cause and the effect we see. It is not that we do not know it. We just like to think of problems and solutions in a very simple way. Linear and straightforward. (more…)

  • Simple innovation scenarios

    When you are trying to solve an existing problem differently you may call it innovation. Yes a bloated term but still sexy when it comes to announcing new technology products. When you want your company to bring something new on the table you should have some kind of a strategy. Scenario thinking helps. (more…)

  • The next version: The perfect frictionless writing collaboration project?

    I faced a problem. I think a complex problem since it involved: people, openness and IT. So an ideal mix for testing tools suited for complex problem solving.  A simple description of the problem is:

    How to get more collaborators for working on the next version of the ‘Open Reference Architecture for Security and Privacy Reference Architecture’ publication? (more…)

  • Free and Open Business IT Innovation: An overview of tangible IT trends for 2017

    You should be very happy! You are living in a time of accelerating changes happening within the business IT industry. Businesses innovate faster using IT innovations. Faster innovation cycles are enabled by innovations in software, hardware and business science. (more…)

  • Open Architectures do not work: The need for real open Architectures

    Architecture is a minefield. Architecture is not by definition high level and sometimes relevant details are of the utmost importance. It is not strange that the added value of architecture and architects within large companies and projects is under heavy pressure due to architecture failures at large and the emergence of agile approaches to solve business IT problems. (more…)

  • The Ultimate IT Architecture checklist

    Smart people have been thinking on how to create IT architectures as long as there has been computers. Ideas come and go, however creating good architectures can still be complex and time consuming.

    An architecture checklist helps in the governance process. Architecture checklists can become long, complex and time consuming in usage. However my aim with this architecture checklist is that it will help you and all your stakeholders involved in a simple way when you are dealing with architecture quality and risk aspects. (more…)

  • Overview of ISO 25010

    ISO-25010-QualityTree

    (Figure:source ISO25010 document)

    The material of ISO is unfortunate not open. But since quality matters and ISO 25010 is used heavily for managing quality aspects within business IT systems a short overview.

    Functionality

    Functionality: A set of attributes that bear on the existence of a set of functions and their specified properties. The functions are those that satisfy stated or implied needs.

    • Functional suitability: Degree to which a product or system provides functions that meet stated and implied needs when used underspecified conditions.
    • Functional completeness : Degree to which the set of functions covers all the specified tasks and user objectives.
    • Functional correctness : Degree to which a product or system provides the correct results with the needed degree of precision.
    • Functional appropriateness : Degree to which the functions facilitate the accomplishment of specified tasks and objectives.

    Reliability

    Reliability: A set of attributes that bear on the capability of software to maintain its level of performance under stated conditions for a stated period of time. Attributes:

    • Reliability:Degree to which a system, product or component performs specified functions under specified conditions for a specified period of time.
    • Maturity : Degree to which a system, product or component meets needs for reliability under normal operation.
    • Availability : Degree to which a system, product or component is operational and accessible when required for use.
    • Fault tolerance : Degree to which a system, product or component operates as intended despite the presence of hardware or software faults.
    • Recoverability : Degree to which, in the event of an interruption or a failure, a product or system can recover the data directly affected and re-establish the desired state of the system.

    Performance Efficiency

    A set of attributes that bear on the relationship between the level of performance of the software and the amount of resources used, under stated conditions.

    • Performance efficiency: Performance relative to the amount of resources used under stated conditions.
    • Time behaviour : Degree to which the response and processing times and throughput rates of a product or system, when performing its functions, meet requirements.
      Resource utilization : Degree to which the amounts and types of resources used by a product or system, when performing its functions, meet requirements.
    • Capacity :  Degree to which the maximum limits of a product or system parameter meet requirements.

    Compatibility

    Compatibility:Degree to which a product, system or component can exchange information with other products, systems or components, and/or perform its required functions, while sharing the same hardware or software environment.

    • Co-existence : Degree to which a product can perform its required functions efficiently while sharing a common environment and resources with other products, without detrimental impact on any other product.
    • Interoperability : Degree to which two or more systems, products or components can exchange information and use the information that has been exchanged.

    Usability

    Usability:Degree to which a product or system can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.

    • Appropriateness recognizability : Degree to which users can recognize whether a product or system is appropriate for their needs.
    • Learnability : Degree to which a product or system can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals of learning to use the product or system with effectiveness, efficiency, freedom from risk and satisfaction in a specified context of use.
    • Operability : Degree to which a product or system has attributes that make it easy to operate and control.
    • User error protection : Degree to which a system protects users against making errors.
    • User interface aesthetics : Degree to which a user interface enables pleasing and satisfying interaction for the user.
    • Accessibility : Degree to which a product or system can be used by people with the widest range of characteristics and capabilities to achieve a specified goal in a specified context of use.

    Security

    Security:Degree to which a product or system protects information and data so that persons or other products or systems have the degree of data access appropriate to their types and levels of authorization.

    • Confidentiality : Degree to which a product or system ensures that data are accessible only to those authorized to have access.
    • Integrity : Degree to which a system, product or component prevents unauthorized access to, or modification of, computer programs or data.
    • Non-repudiation : Degree to which actions or events can be proven to have taken place, so that the events or actions cannot be repudiated later.
    • Accountability : Degree to which the actions of an entity can be traced uniquely to the entity.
    • Confidentiality : Degree to which a product or system ensures that data are accessible only to those authorized to have access.
    • Authenticity : Degree to which the identity of a subject or resource can be proved to be the one claimed.

    Maintainability

    • Maintainability:Degree of effectiveness and efficiency with which a product or system can be modified by the intended maintainers.
    • Modularity : Degree to which a system or computer program is composed of discrete components such that a change to one component has minimal impact on other components.
    • Reusability :Degree to which an asset can be used in more than one system, or in building other assets.
    • Analysability : Degree of effectiveness and efficiency with which it is possible to assess the impact on a product or system of an intended change to one or more of its parts, or to diagnose a product for deficiencies or causes of failures, or to identify parts to be modified.
    • Modifiability : Degree to which a product or system can be effectively and efficiently modified without introducing defects or degrading existing product quality.
    • Testability : Degree of effectiveness and efficiency with which test criteria can be established for a system, product or component and tests can be performed to determine whether those criteria have been met.

    Transferability

    • Portability:Degree of effectiveness and efficiency with which a system, product or component can be transferred from one hardware, software or other operational or usage environment to another
    • Adaptability : Degree to which a product or system can effectively and efficiently be adapted for different or evolving hardware, software or other operational or usage environments.
    • Installability : Degree of effectiveness and efficiency with which a product or system can be successfully installed and/or un-installed in a specified environment.
    • Replaceability : Degree to which a product can replace another specified software product for the same purpose in the same environment.

     

    Note that when you do a critical review on ISO20510 you will find that missing in ISO25010 is:

    • Functional requirements
    • Compliance (e.g. with laws, standards) requirements
    • Documentation, Support and Training requirements and of course:
    • Project Timing requirements
    • Project Budget requirements