Designing for Sustainability when Architecture Standards are involved: an industrial Case Study

Many software businesses face increasing regulatory pressure and requirements changes that target more sustainable software systems. Therefore, integrating sustainability into software architecture is crucial for the long-term viability of organizations. In this study, we explore how new sustainability concerns can be effectively tackled within software architecture, especially when established architecture standards are followed. We present two main contributions derived from an industrial case study. First, we present the extension of existing architecture views, called decision maps, to trace the involvement of architecture standards. Such extension supports architects through informed decision making by integrating sustainability aspects while adhering to architecture standards. Second, we propose a set of key performance indicators to monitor the ongoing application of these standards and assess their impact on the software architecture and its sustainability over time. Our findings provide valuable insights and instruments for experts to first assess sustainability within the constraints of architecture standards, and then monitor their sustainability impact. This will help to meet regulatory requirements and align software design with strategic sustainability goals. We provide tangible guiding steps to improve sustainability awareness and decision-making.