Module 1. The Beautiful Theory of Solution Architecture
1. Architecture and the Architect
- What is architecture? Why is architecture important?
- Architectural contexts
- Types of architects, roles of a Solution Architect and an Enterprise Architect
- Methodologies: TOGAF, Zachman, FEAF. Choosing the right framework and applying it in practice
2. Business Architecture
- Value stream: How does a business create value, and why is it important for an architect?
- Business motivation: Business drivers, goals, objectives
- Stakeholder management: Identifying stakeholders, types of stakeholders, their interests. Power-Interest matrix. Practices for resolving conflicts
3. Requirements
- Functional requirements
- Non-functional requirements, assumptions. Architecture Significant Requirements, Constraints, Quality Attributes. Prioritization of requirements, requirement combinations, feasibility of requirements. Specifics of the Availability requirement
- Utility tree: How to build and use it in design
- A template for solving architectural problems for a Solution Architect
4. Building Architecture
- Architectural styles and approaches: Monolith, microservices, SOA, serverless, client-server, hexagonal, layered, event-driven, CQRS, data pipeline, plugin, repository, cloud-based, bus-based...
- Integration architectures
- Tactics for achieving Availability, Performance, and Scalability in distributed systems
- Patterns of distributed systems
- Algorithms for building architecture for beginners and more experienced architects
5. Architectural Strategy and Roadmap
- Initiatives, projects, programs. Sponsors and stakeholders of projects and programs
- Initiative and organization change management
- The company’s technological strategy
- System development roadmap
6. Blueprints and Reference Architectures
- Differences between reference architecture and design patterns
- Typical solutions for common systems and business needs
Module 2. Solution Architect Communications
7. Organization Analysis
- Defining the structure of an organization
- Culture: Types of cultures, defining the organization’s culture. Values and behavior in different cultures
- Managing expectations
- Agreements and career
- Finding your place and path within an organization
8. Building Trust in the Architect
- Specifics and boundaries of an architect’s influence
- Demonstrating broad expertise as a way to build trust
- Communication with managers, teams, product managers, and infrastructure teams
- Should an architect have their own pet project?
9. "Selling" and Justifying Solutions
- Documentation approaches that prevent questions
- Comparison tables
- Sales techniques for presenting solutions
10. Architectural Process
- Documentation: Strategy, roadmap, HLD, LLD, ADR
- Collaborative problem-solving: Event storming, DDD, and documentation
- Tools for maintaining architecture
- The hierarchy of architects, architecture boards, governance, standards
11. Presales
- Specifics of task setting, stakeholders, and design during presales
- Template for preparing an Architecture Proposal
Module 3. The Crazy World
12. Documentation
- Formats and approaches
- Documentation and processes
- Cross-review of architectural documentation
- Reality, cases, and examples: Knowledge in one developer’s head, outdated documentation, and unused documentation
- Contracts and agreements with adjacent teams
13. Entering a Project
- Goals and expectations
- Company culture
- Stakeholders
- Reality, cases, and examples: Cursed roles, impossible tasks, failing companies, overly influential developers, incompetent architects, inflated expectations, sabotage of solutions, and team resistance
14. Architectural Process and Architecture Evolution
- Example of a small product company with 10 engineers
- Example of a small product company with 20 engineers
- Example of a successful startup with 50+ engineers
- Example of a large product company with 500+ engineers
- Example of a small outsourcing project with 10 engineers
- Example of a “medium-sized” outsourcing project with 30+ engineers
- Example of an integration project
- Example of a digital transformation project
15. Even More Reality
- New features vs. tech debt
- Approaches to working with legacy systems
- The culture of real companies
- Examples of conflicts with product teams
- Examples of conflicts with infrastructure teams
- Changing the lead architect
- Burnout during presales
16. Trends and the Architect’s Development Path
- AI prospects
- Enterprise architecture
- The architect’s development strategy