Collecting Requirements and Ideas for Architectural Group Decision-Making Based on Four Approaches

To collect requirements and ideas for architectural group decision-making (GDM), we present and analyze four different approaches to GDM that were developed by master’s students in a practical course at our university. The students involved had about five years of practical experience on average, and roughly 80% of the students were working as software engineers while enrolled. We analyze the four approaches based on the criteria for evaluating approaches to architectural GDM defined by Rekha and Muccini; nearly all approaches fulfilled most criteria. Two criteria – support for conflict resolution and revisiting information – were partly addressed. The criterion of prioritizing group members was not addressed at all. The student-developed approaches provided some new ideas for architectural GDM, such as communication between stakeholders directly in the GDM tool and review of decisions after they have been made.