Modifiability Tactics
• SEI Report
Publisher
Software Engineering Institute
CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-2007-TR-002DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
10.1184/R1/6575696.v1Topic or Tag
Abstract
An architectural tactic is a design decision that affects how well a software architecture addresses a particular quality attribute. This report describes how tactics are based on the parameters of quality attribute models. Tactics provide an architectural means of adjusting those parameters, which, in turn, can improve the quality-attribute-specific behavior of the resulting system.
This report justifies the tactics for modifiability, using established concepts of coupling, cohesion, and cost motivations as the means of identifying parameters of interest. Various tactics are then described based on their ability to control these parameters. The report also describes a standard set of architectural patterns and their variants in terms of the use of these tactics.
Cite This SEI Report
Bachmann, F., Bass, L., & Nord, R. (2007, September 1). Modifiability Tactics. (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2007-TR-002). Retrieved June 18, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575696.v1.
@techreport{bachmann_2007,
author={Bachmann, Felix and Bass, Len and Nord, Robert},
title={Modifiability Tactics},
month={Sep},
year={2007},
number={{CMU/SEI-2007-TR-002},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
doi={10.1184/R1/6575696.v1},
url={https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575696.v1},
note={Accessed: 2026-Jun-18}
}
Bachmann, Felix, Len Bass, and Robert Nord. "Modifiability Tactics." (CMU/SEI-2007-TR-002). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, September 1, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575696.v1.
F. Bachmann, L. Bass, and R. Nord, "Modifiability Tactics," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, SEI Report CMU/SEI-2007-TR-002, 1-Sep-2007 [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575696.v1. [Accessed: 18-Jun-2026].
Bachmann, Felix, Len Bass, and Robert Nord. "Modifiability Tactics." (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2007-TR-002). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Sep. 2007. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575696.v1. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Bachmann, Felix; Bass, Len; & Nord, Robert. Modifiability Tactics. CMU/SEI-2007-TR-002. Software Engineering Institute. 2007. DOI: 10.1184/R1/6575696.v1. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575696.v1