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Linked.Archi ATAM Ontology

Release: 2020-07-27

Modified on: 2026-05-03
This version:
https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto/0.1.0#
Revision:
0.1.0
Issued on:
2020-07-27
Authors:
Kalin Maldzhanski
Publisher:
Linked.Archi
See also:
https://iasa-global.github.io/btabok/boqa.html
https://iasa-global.github.io/btabok/quality_attributes.html
https://resources.sei.cmu.edu/asset_files/TechnicalReport/2000_005_001_13706.pdf
https://resources.sei.cmu.edu/library/asset-view.cfm?assetid=513908
License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Visualization:
Visualize with WebVowl
Cite as:
Kazman, R., Klein, M., Clements, P. (2000). ATAM: Method for Architecture Evaluation. CMU/SEI-2000-TR-004.
Provenance of this page
draft

Abstract

OWL ontology for ATAM evaluation concepts — utility trees, sensitivity points, tradeoff points, risks, and risk themes.

Linked.Archi ATAM Ontology: Overview back to ToC

This ontology has the following classes and properties.

Classes

Object Properties

Data Properties

Linked.Archi ATAM Ontology: Description back to ToC

Ontology for the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) from the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University. Models the evaluation-specific concepts that ATAM adds beyond the core decision and quality attribute vocabulary: utility trees, sensitivity points, tradeoff points, risks, non-risks, and risk themes. ATAM is a method for evaluating software architectures relative to quality attribute goals. It exposes architectural risks that potentially inhibit the achievement of business goals by systematically analyzing quality attribute scenarios against architectural approaches. Use together with: * ad:arch-decision — for decisions, forces, options, and QA scenarios * refa:ref-arch — for patterns and tactics (architectural approaches) * iso25010 — for quality attribute definitions

Cross-reference for Linked.Archi ATAM Ontology classes, object properties and data properties back to ToC

This section provides details for each class and property defined by Linked.Archi ATAM Ontology.

Classes

Architectural Riskc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#ArchitecturalRisk

An architectural decision or property that is potentially problematic. A risk is identified when analysis of a scenario against an architectural approach reveals that the quality attribute response may not be achieved.
Example
ex:Risk-01 a atam:ArchitecturalRisk ;
    skos:prefLabel "Single database instance has no failover"@en ;
    atam:riskForQA iso25010:Availability ;
    atam:riskInDecision ex:ADR-042 ;
    atam:identifiedInScenario ex:FailoverScenario .
has super-classes
element c
is in domain of
risk for quality attribute op, risk in approach op, risk in decision op
is in range of
identified risk op, theme includes risk op

ATAM Evaluationc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#ATAMEvaluation

A complete ATAM evaluation session, linking the utility tree, identified risks, non-risks, sensitivity points, tradeoff points, and risk themes. An evaluation targets a specific architecture (arch:Model) and involves specific stakeholders.
Example
ex:ATAM-2026-Q1 a atam:ATAMEvaluation ;
    skos:prefLabel "Payment Platform ATAM Evaluation Q1 2026"@en ;
    atam:evaluatesArchitecture ex:PaymentPlatformModel ;
    atam:hasUtilityTree ex:PaymentUtilityTree ;
    atam:identifiedRisk ex:Risk-01, ex:Risk-02 ;
    atam:identifiedNonRisk ex:NR-01 ;
    atam:identifiedSensitivityPoint ex:SP-01 ;
    atam:identifiedTradeoffPoint ex:TP-01 ;
    atam:identifiedRiskTheme ex:RT-01 .
has super-classes
element c
is in domain of
evaluates architecture op, has utility tree op, identified non-risk op, identified risk op, identified risk theme op, identified sensitivity point op, identified tradeoff point op

Non-Riskc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#NonRisk

An architectural decision or property that is deemed safe upon analysis. A non-risk is identified when analysis confirms that the quality attribute response will be achieved. Documenting non-risks is important because it records what was analyzed and found acceptable.
has super-classes
element c
is in range of
identified non-risk op

Quality Attribute Branchc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#QualityAttributeBranch

A branch in the utility tree representing a quality attribute (e.g., Performance, Availability, Security). Contains refinements and leaf scenarios.
Example
ex:PerformanceBranch a atam:QualityAttributeBranch ;
    skos:prefLabel "Performance"@en ;
    atam:branchQualityAttribute iso25010:PerformanceEfficiency ;
    atam:hasScenario ex:PeakLoadScenario, ex:DataQueryScenario .
has super-classes
element c
is in domain of
branch quality attribute op, has scenario op
is in range of
has QA branch op

Risk Themec back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#RiskTheme

A systemic pattern of risks identified across multiple scenarios or architectural approaches. Risk themes represent cross-cutting concerns that affect the architecture broadly rather than in isolated spots.
Example
ex:RT-01 a atam:RiskTheme ;
    skos:prefLabel "Insufficient redundancy across data tier"@en ;
    atam:themeIncludesRisk ex:Risk-01, ex:Risk-03, ex:Risk-07 ;
    skos:definition "Multiple scenarios reveal single points of failure in the data layer."@en .
has super-classes
element c
is in domain of
theme includes risk op
is in range of
identified risk theme op

Sensitivity Pointc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#SensitivityPoint

An architectural element or property where a small change has a significant effect on a quality attribute. Sensitivity points reveal where the architecture is fragile with respect to a specific quality concern.
Example
ex:SP-01 a atam:SensitivityPoint ;
    skos:prefLabel "Database connection pool size"@en ;
    atam:sensitiveToQA iso25010:TimeBehaviour ;
    atam:affectsElement ex:OrdersDB ;
    atam:identifiedInScenario ex:PeakLoadScenario .
has super-classes
element c
has sub-classes
Tradeoff Point c
is in domain of
affects element op, sensitive to quality attribute op
is in range of
identified sensitivity point op

Tradeoff Pointc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#TradeoffPoint

An architectural element that is a sensitivity point for multiple quality attributes — improving one quality attribute at this point degrades another. Tradeoff points are the most architecturally significant findings in an ATAM evaluation because they reveal where quality attributes compete.
Example
ex:TP-01 a atam:TradeoffPoint ;
    skos:prefLabel "Encryption at rest for order data"@en ;
    atam:sensitiveToQA iso25010:Confidentiality, iso25010:TimeBehaviour ;
    skos:scopeNote "Enabling encryption improves security but degrades query performance by ~15%."@en .
has super-classes
Sensitivity Point c
is in range of
identified tradeoff point op

Utility Treec back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#UtilityTree

A hierarchical decomposition of the system's overall "utility" into quality attributes, quality attribute refinements, and concrete quality attribute scenarios. The root is the system's overall goodness. The first level branches are quality attributes (performance, availability, security, etc.). Leaves are prioritized QA scenarios. The utility tree is the primary tool for eliciting and prioritizing architecturally significant requirements in ATAM.
Example
ex:PortalUtilityTree a atam:UtilityTree ;
    skos:prefLabel "Customer Portal Utility Tree"@en ;
    atam:hasQABranch ex:PerformanceBranch, ex:AvailabilityBranch,
                     ex:SecurityBranch, ex:ModifiabilityBranch .
has super-classes
element c
is in domain of
has QA branch op
is in range of
has utility tree op

Object Properties

affects elementop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#affectsElement

Links a SensitivityPoint to the architectural element it concerns.
has domain
Sensitivity Point c
has range
element c

branch quality attributeop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#branchQualityAttribute

Links a QualityAttributeBranch to the quality attribute it represents.
has domain
Quality Attribute Branch c
has range
quality attribute c

evaluates architectureop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#evaluatesArchitecture

Links an ATAMEvaluation to the architecture model being evaluated.
has domain
ATAM Evaluation c
has range
model c

has QA branchop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#hasQABranch

Links a UtilityTree to its quality attribute branches.
has domain
Utility Tree c
has range
Quality Attribute Branch c

has scenarioop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#hasScenario

Links a QualityAttributeBranch to its leaf QA scenarios.
has domain
Quality Attribute Branch c
has range
quality attribute requirement

has utility treeop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#hasUtilityTree

Links an ATAMEvaluation to its utility tree.
has domain
ATAM Evaluation c
has range
Utility Tree c

identified non-riskop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#identifiedNonRisk

Links an ATAMEvaluation to a non-risk confirmed during the evaluation.
has domain
ATAM Evaluation c
has range
Non-Risk c

identified riskop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#identifiedRisk

Links an ATAMEvaluation to a risk identified during the evaluation.
has domain
ATAM Evaluation c
has range
Architectural Risk c

identified risk themeop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#identifiedRiskTheme

Links an ATAMEvaluation to a risk theme identified during the evaluation.
has domain
ATAM Evaluation c
has range
Risk Theme c

identified sensitivity pointop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#identifiedSensitivityPoint

Links an ATAMEvaluation to a sensitivity point discovered during the evaluation.
has domain
ATAM Evaluation c
has range
Sensitivity Point c

identified tradeoff pointop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#identifiedTradeoffPoint

Links an ATAMEvaluation to a tradeoff point discovered during the evaluation.
has domain
ATAM Evaluation c
has range
Tradeoff Point c

risk for quality attributeop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#riskForQA

Links an ArchitecturalRisk to the quality attribute it threatens.
has domain
Architectural Risk c
has range
quality attribute c

risk in approachop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#riskInApproach

Links an ArchitecturalRisk to the pattern or tactic that introduces it.
has domain
Architectural Risk c
range includes
pattern
tactic

risk in decisionop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#riskInDecision

Links an ArchitecturalRisk to the architecture decision that introduced it.
has domain
Architectural Risk c
has range
decision c

sensitive to quality attributeop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#sensitiveToQA

Links a SensitivityPoint to the quality attribute(s) it affects.
has domain
Sensitivity Point c
has range
quality attribute c

theme includes riskop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#themeIncludesRisk

Links a RiskTheme to the individual risks that form the pattern.
has domain
Risk Theme c
has range
Architectural Risk c

Data Properties

identified in scenarioop back to ToC or Data Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#identifiedInScenario

has range
quality attribute requirement
is also defined as
object property

scenario prioritydp back to ToC or Data Property ToC

IRI: https://meta.linked.archi/atam/onto#scenarioPriority

Priority of a scenario in the utility tree, typically expressed as (importance, difficulty) pairs like (H,M) meaning high importance, medium difficulty to achieve.
has domain
quality attribute requirement
has range
string

Legend back to ToC

c: Classes
op: Object Properties
dp: Data Properties

Acknowledgments back to ToC

The authors would like to thank Silvio Peroni for developing LODE, a Live OWL Documentation Environment, which is used for representing the Cross Referencing Section of this document and Daniel Garijo for developing Widoco, the program used to create the template used in this documentation.