A METHODOLOGY FOR SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE EVALUATION

In this paper, the authors describe a comprehensive methodology for evaluating a systems architecture based on the Rockwell Team's analysis in Phase I of the National Systems Architecture Program. Four distinct levels of analysis are used in the overall evaluation, reflecting increasing degrees of aggregation of information and different roles in the evaluation. At the lowest level of analysis are specific evaluation criteria (EC). Thirty-nine ECs were provided as a basic set by the program sponsor. The authors further defined sets of measures of effectiveness (MOEs), measuring detailed qualitative and quantitative information related to each EC, and the authors defined formal procedures for evaluating each EC based on these MOEs. At the second level of analysis are stakeholder topics--ten impact categories that were specified by the sponsor. Each topic represents an area of significant concern to a user group or to an affected/concerned non-user group, and each must be satisfied by the architecture in order to be considered viable by public agencies. The third level of evaluation assesses the likelihood of significant implementation, which is reflected in five indicators that convey the likelihood of the architecture achieving a significant, sustainable impact in the nation. They provide decisionmakers with a high-level view of five critical properties that are collectively necessary for an architecture to lead to successful long-term implementation of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) user services. The five indicators are social acceptability, flexibility, ignitability, guidability, and sustainability. The fourth and highest level of analysis is that of national goals. This measure captures the degree of achievement of benefits along the four major dimensions: mobility, safety, energy and environment, and economic productivity. Together, these four areas form an integrated assessment of the systems architecture.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Five volumes of papers and one volume of abstracts comprise the published set of conference materials.
• Corporate Authors:

  VERTIS

  TORANOMOM 34 MORI BUILDING 1-25-5
  TORANOMON, MINATOKU, TOKYO 105  Japan 
• Authors:
  • Hickman, M
  • Weissenberger, S
  • Lo, H
• Conference:
  • Steps Forward. Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress
  • Location: Yokohama, Japan
  • Date: 1995-11-9 to 1995-11-11
• Publication Date: 1995-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 2168

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Architecture; Evaluation; Flexibility; Implementation; Intelligent transportation systems; Measures of effectiveness; Qualitative analysis; Quantitative analysis; Regional development; Strategic planning; System design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Criteria
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: National goals
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Research; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00724470
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Volume 5
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1996 12:00AM