Fundamentals of Software Architecture

Chapter 2. Architectural Thinking

An architect sees things differently from a developer’s point of view, much in the same way a meteorologist might see clouds differently from an artist’s point of view. This is called architectural thinking. Unfortunately, too many architects believe that architectural thinking is simply just “thinking about the architecture.”

Architectural thinking is much more than that. It is seeing things with an architectural eye, or an architectural point of view. There are four main aspects of thinking like an architect. First, it’s understanding the difference between architecture and design and knowing how to collaborate with development teams to make architecture work. Second, it’s about having a wide breadth of technical knowledge while still maintaining a certain level of technical depth, allowing the architect to see solutions and possibilities that others do not see. Third, it’s about understanding, analyzing, and reconciling trade-offs between various solutions and technologies. Finally, it’s about understanding the importance of business drivers and how they translate to architectural concerns.

In this chapter we explore these four aspects of thinking like an architect and seeing things with an architectural eye.

Architecture Versus Design

The difference between architecture and design is often a confusing one. Where does architecture end and design begin? What responsibilities does an architect have versus those of a developer? Thinking like ...