Requirements and architectures: two sides of the same coin

Abstract

Locating the relationship between requirements and architectures in software engineering design has taxed researchers ever since the topic appeared. Requirements are firmly part of the problem world, architectures part of the solution. Any relationship between cannot then properly be seen as existing in either - even though exponents of requirements or architectures may try to convince of it! But if it exists, where is it located? We will discuss possible locations, and suggest, with the aid of a new framework for engineering design, that the correct place is in the mind of the designer.