concept#Product#Delivery#Architecture#Decision Making
Architecture Decision
A clearly defined process for making architecture decisions.
Architecture decisions are crucial for the success of projects.
Maturity
Established
Cognitive loadMedium
Classification
- ComplexityMedium
- Impact areaTechnical
- Decision typeArchitectural
- Organizational maturityAdvanced
Technical context
Integrations
JIRA for Task ManagementConfluence for DocumentationSlack for Communication
Principles & goals
Promote decision transparency.Make technology choices based on requirements.Avoid technical debts.
Value stream stage
Build
Organizational level
Enterprise, Domain, Team
Use cases & scenarios
Use cases
Scenarios
Compromises
Risks
- Wrong decisions can incur high costs.
- Unclear requirements lead to misunderstandings.
- Technical debts may accumulate.
Best practices
- Communicate decisions transparently.
- Gather feedback from stakeholders.
- Review decisions regularly.
I/O & resources
Inputs
- Project Requirements
- Stakeholder Feedback
- Market Research
Outputs
- Decision Outcome
- Documented Processes
- Implementation Plan
Description
Architecture decisions are crucial for the success of projects. They provide a structured approach to selecting suitable technologies and design patterns. This ensures the quality and maintainability of software.
✔Benefits
- Improved team communication.
- Efficient resource utilization.
- Higher software quality.
✖Limitations
- Lack of flexibility in decisions.
- Potentially high costs when changing.
- Requires continuous maintenance.
Trade-offs
Metrics
- Decision Accuracy
Measures how often decisions made are successfully implemented.
- User Satisfaction
Evaluates user satisfaction with implemented solutions.
- Decision Turnaround Time
Measures the time taken to make a decision.
Examples & implementations
Decision for a Microservices Architecture
A company decides on a microservices architecture for improved scalability.
Evaluation of Frontend Frameworks
An agency selects a modern frontend framework to enhance user experience.
Decision for a Cloud Strategy
A medium-sized company develops a cloud strategy for cost reduction.
Implementation steps
1
Conduct technology research
2
Organize stakeholder meetings
3
Document the decision
⚠️ Technical debt & bottlenecks
Technical debt
- Using outdated technologies.
- Lack of architecture testing.
- Lack of documentation updates.
Known bottlenecks
Lack of resources.Unclear requirements.Lack of documentation.
Misuse examples
- Making decisions based on opinions.
- Selecting technologies not to pursue.
- Neglecting maintainability.
Typical traps
- Setting unclear goals.
- Making gut-feeling decisions.
- Overestimating one's knowledge.
Required skills
Knowledge of architectural principlesExperience in software developmentProblem-solving skills
Architectural drivers
User requirements must be met.Consider technological trends.Conduct market analysis.
Constraints
- • Adhere to budget constraints.
- • Observe technical standards.
- • Check resource availability.