System Architecting
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System Architecting Apply and Collect facts earn credit Integrate facts, Communicate create vision Gerrit Muller University of South-Eastern Norway-NISE Hasbergsvei 36 P.O. Box 235, NO-3603 Kongsberg Norway [email protected] Abstract This book addresses the role of the system architect and the role of the system architecting process within the business: • What is the role and the task of the (system) architect? • How does the architect do his work? • What are the main activities of the architect? • How does the architect fit in the organization? • What kind of person is the architect? • How does architecting fit in the business? Note: this book is likely to be refactored in smaller books in the future. Distribution This article or presentation is written as part of the Gaudí project. The Gaudí project philosophy is to improve by obtaining frequent feedback. Frequent feedback is pursued by an open creation process. This document is published as intermediate or nearly mature version to get feedback. Further distribution is allowed as long as the document remains complete and unchanged. All Gaudí documents are available at: http://www.gaudisite.nl/ version: 1.8 status: preliminary draft April 6, 2021 Contents Introduction xviii System Architecture: The Silver Bullet? xix 0.1 Introduction . xix 0.2 Why System Architecture? . xix 0.2.1 The Quest for Certainty . xx 0.2.2 Disclaimer; Setting the Expectations to a realistic level . xxi 0.3 How: Critical Success Factors . xxi 0.3.1 Know-How . xxi 0.3.2 Common Sense . xxii 0.3.3 Pragmatics . xxii 0.3.4 Critical attitude . xxii 0.3.5 Drive . xxii 0.3.6 Vision . xxiii 0.4 Summary . xxiii 0.5 Acknowledgements . xxiii I Processes 1 1 Process Decomposition of a Business 2 1.1 Introduction . 2 1.2 Process Decomposition . 2 1.3 Process versus Organization . 5 1.4 Value Chain and Feedback . 5 1.5 Decomposition of the Customer Oriented Process . 6 1.6 Extended Process Decomposition; Generic Developments . 7 1.7 Acknowledgements . 7 2 What is a Process? 8 2.1 Introduction . 8 2.2 What is a process . 8 2.3 The relation between Processes and Organizations . 10 2.4 Process Improvement . 11 2.5 Acknowledgements . 12 3 The Product Creation Process 13 3.1 Introduction . 13 3.2 The Context of the Product Creation Process . 13 3.3 Phases of the Product Creation Process . 14 3.4 Evolutionary models for Product Creation . 17 3.5 Milestones and Decisions . 18 3.6 Organization of the Product Creation Process . 18 3.6.1 Hierarchical decomposition . 19 3.6.2 Further decomposition of the Product Creation Process . 19 3.6.3 Design Control . 20 3.6.4 Operational Management . 21 3.6.5 Marketing . 22 3.6.6 Product Creation Teams . 23 3.7 Acknowledgements . 23 4 The Importance of Feedback for Architecture 24 4.1 Introduction . 24 4.2 Why Feedback? . 24 4.2.1 Control . 24 4.2.2 Learning . 25 4.2.3 Applicability . 25 4.3 Theory versus Practice . 26 4.4 Conclusions . 27 5 The System Architecture Process 29 5.1 Introduction . 29 5.2 System Architecture in the Business Context . 29 5.3 Purpose of the System Architecting Process . 31 5.4 The System Architect as Process Owner . 32 5.5 System Architecting in Product Creation Context . 32 5.6 Acknowledgements . 33 6 Products, Projects, and Services; similarities and differences in archi- tecting 34 6.1 Introduction . 34 6.2 Products and Projects . 35 6.3 Services . 36 6.4 System of Systems . 38 Gerrit Muller University of South-Eastern Norway-NISE System Architecting page: iii April 6, 2021 version: 1.8 II The System Architect as a Person 40 7 The Awakening of a System Architect 41 7.1 Introduction . 41 7.2 The Development of a System Architect . 41 7.3 Generalist versus Specialist . 42 7.4 Acknowledgements . 44 8 Systems Titles and Roles 45 8.1 Introduction . 45 8.2 Cultural differences in terms . 45 8.3 Title versus skills and actual job . 46 8.4 Systems roles and titles . 47 9 The Role and Task of the System Architect 49 9.1 Introduction . 49 9.2 Deliverables of the System Architect . 49 9.3 System Architect Responsibilities . 50 9.4 What does the System Architect do? . 53 9.5 Task versus Role . 54 9.6 Acknowledgements . 54 10 Function Profiles; The Sheep with Seven Legs 56 10.1 Introduction . 56 10.2 Systems Architect Profile . 57 10.2.1 Most discriminating characteristics . 57 10.3 Test Engineer Profile . 58 10.4 Developer Profile . 58 10.5 Operational Leader Profile . 59 10.6 Line Manager Profile . 59 10.7 Commercial Manager Profile . 60 10.8 Definition of Characteristics . 60 10.8.1 Interpersonal skills . 60 10.8.2 Know-how . 61 10.8.3 Reasoning Power . 62 10.8.4 Executing Skills . 62 10.8.5 Process Skills . 63 10.8.6 Project Management Skills . 63 10.8.7 Commercial Skills . 64 10.8.8 Human Resource Management Skills . 64 10.9 Acknowledgements . 64 Gerrit Muller University of South-Eastern Norway-NISE System Architecting page: iv April 6, 2021 version: 1.8 11 Dynamic Range of Abstraction Levels in Architecting 65 11.1 Introduction . 65 11.2 From System-of-Interest to Context . 65 11.3 Architecture and Architecting . 67 11.4 Revisiting Design and Engineering . 68 11.5 Architecting and Design in Practice . 69 12 Architecting Interaction Styles 71 12.1 Introduction . 71 12.2 Provocation . 71 12.3 Facilitation . 72 12.4 Leading . 72 12.5 Empathic . 73 12.6 Interviewing . 73 12.7 White-board simulation . 73 12.8 Judo tactics . 74 13 The Tool Box of the System Architect 75 13.1 Introduction . 75 13.2 Overview of Systems Architecting Tools . 76 13.2.1 Human Experience Based tools . 76 13.2.2 Low-tech tools . 77 13.2.3 Facilitation tools . 77 13.2.4 Borrowed Advanced Tools . 78 13.2.5 Architecting Specific Tools . 78 13.2.6 General Purpose computer based tools . 78 13.2.7 Tools prescribed by the organization infrastructure . 78 13.2.8 Process Oriented Standards . 79 13.2.9 Concept oriented Standards . 79 13.2.10 Artifact Oriented Standards . 79 13.3 Human versus Computer Assisted Tools . 80 13.4 Flow: from Data to Overview and Understanding . 82 III Market, Requirements, Roadmapping 86 14 Short introduction to basic “CAFCR” model 87 14.1 Introduction . 87 14.2 The CAFCR model . 88 14.3 Who is the customer? . 88 14.4 Life Cycle view . 90 Gerrit Muller University of South-Eastern Norway-NISE System Architecting page: v April 6, 2021 version: 1.8 15 Fundamentals of Requirements Engineering 92 15.1 Introduction . 92 15.2 Definition of Requirements . 92 15.3 System as a black box . 94 15.4 Stakeholders . 94 15.5 Requirements for Requirements . ..