PMcrunch

If architects and project managers can approach [tag]architecture development[/tag] with these 10 points in mind, [tag]project quality[/tag] will improve.

1. Architecture is “abstracting” what is to be created - to create a shared vision.

2. Architecture - [tag]system architecture[/tag] or building architecture - is all about creating a plan for the product, opposed to a plan for how to build the product.

3. Architecture is an attempt to define and articulate the problem to be solved in as much detail as possible.

4. The better it is done, the smoother is the process of building the product, and the better the results.

5. What are the limits to architecture?  Is the 60% solution as good as it gets?  Probably somewhere in that range.

6. How does [tag]Agile[/tag] play into this?  Architecture is the overall design.  Agile is great at producing “right-size” pieces.  Of course, could Agile be used to create the architecture?  Good question for another day.

7. Clarity will come the closer we get to an end product.  Hence, feedback cycles are very important.

8.  Projects usually don’t just disappear when complete.  A “good enough” architecture can be a great step, to be followed by more releases when the architecture process on those deliverables can be more efficient.  Defining the [tag]project scope[/tag] for the architecture and project is very important.

9. Presentations to stakeholders should be geared to the area of interest of the particular stakeholder group.  Direct users, department managers, IT support specialists, and upper management are all [tag]project stakeholders[/tag], and each would have a different angle of interest, corresponding to a different piece of the architecture. 

10.  It is the job of the architect to develop architecture where all the various pieces fit together, but also to present the pieces of the architecture to the appropriate stakeholders.  The architect is the one who “owns” that big picture of how all of the elements of design fit togehter.
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John Reiling, PMP
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