Adopting the C4 Model for Lightweight Architecture Modeling: An Experience ReportShow others and affiliations
2026 (English)In: Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer Nature , 2026, p. 393-409Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
This paper reports on experiences of migrating to a new way of documenting software architecture for embedded software development at a company developing software-intensive systems. A lightweight modeling approach using the C4 model for software architecture was adopted, where the architecture diagrams were expressed in PlantUML and stored within Markdown files alongside the code. We describe the problem context and the new approach, and report on a questionnaire survey among the software engineers to elicit their experiences and opinions two years after the introduction of this way of working. The majority of the 48 respondents reported being successful in using the new way of working and see benefits in terms of the better organization of the documentation as stored alongside the code, a clearer process of documenting, better alignment with the code, and ease of use. Engineers report a manageable learning curve but foresee challenges in maintenance and communication of changes across teams working on embedded software, hardware and electronics.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature , 2026. p. 393-409
Series
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, ISSN 0302-9743 ; 16081 LNCS
Keywords [en]
Adoption In Practice, C4 Model, Software Architecture Modeling, C (programming Language), Computer Software Maintenance, Embedded Software, Engineers, Software Architecture, Software Design, Architecture Modeling, Embedded Software Development, Experience Report, Lightweight Architecture, Modeling Approach, New Approaches, Software Architecture Model, Software Intensive Systems, Codes (symbols), Embedded Systems
National Category
Software Engineering
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-73394DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-04190-6_24ISI: 001677311700024Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105016247403ISBN: 9783032041890 (electronic)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:mdh-73394DiVA, id: diva2:2000561
Conference
51st Euromicro Conference on Software Engineering and Advanced Applications, SEAA 2025, Salerno, Italy, 10-12 September, 2025
2025-09-242025-09-242026-03-18Bibliographically approved