Software by Numbers: Low-Risk, High-Return Development

Appendix A. Summary of IFM Terminology

Architectural Element (AE): The architecture of a software system is decomposed into an assembly of smaller pieces known as architectural elements. Unlike a minimum marketable feature (MMF), which returns revenue, an AE is treated purely as a cost element. By factoring architectural costs into the sequencing cost base, the incremental funding methodology (IFM) ensures that architecture is subject to the same cost-benefit analysis as all other aspects of software development. IFM uses sequencing strategies to identify the optimal time for instantiating each piece of the architecture. The objective is to develop architectural components as they are needed to support the functionality of each MMF, while optimizing ...