Does decision documentation help junior designers rationalize their decisions? A comparative multiple-case study

Software architecture design is challenging, especially for junior software designers. Lacking practice and experience, junior designers need process support in order to make rational architecture decisions. In this paper, we present the results of a comparative multiple-case study conducted to find out if decision viewpoints from van Heesch et al. (2012, in press) can provide such a support. The case study was conducted with four teams of software engineering students working in industrial software projects. Two of the four teams were instructed to document their decisions using decision viewpoints; the other two teams were not instructed to do so. We observed the students for a period of seven weeks by conducting weekly focus groups and by analyzing their work artifacts and minutes. Our findings suggest that junior designers who use decision viewpoints are more systematic in exploring and evaluating solution options. However, the decision viewpoints did not help them in managing requirements and complexity.