The present technique is an apparatus and method evaluating software performance. The method identifies performance scenarios using a knowledge base and selects the performance scenarios from a context module using operational laws. The system analyzes performance criticality of an application workload. Furthermore, the system comprises a context module that ranks the performance criterions depending on the input and the knowledge base stores and retrieves the performance criterions using the operational laws. The knowledge base comprises the criterions and their relevant ranks based of the application context. The present technique automates classification of performance criterions into benefit and cost categories with the usage of the operational laws.