Software Architecture Superstream: Mapping, Modeling, and Communicating the Future of Software Architecture
Published by O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Transforming technical vision into business momentum
Having a great idea isn't enough to make your software project succeed. If you want stakeholders to buy into your design and teams to collaborate and contribute to the vision, you also need to communicate effectively.
In this event, you'll learn how to successfully present your architecture, get stakeholders to jump on board, and use specific ways of thinking to assist and accelerate what you can do as an architect. Concrete examples help you understand how to create presentations, documentation, and diagrams that actually get the message across to the different audiences you'll face. Join us to develop these essential skills, understand why they’re so critical, and find out how to start putting them into practice.
What you’ll learn and how you can apply it
- Understand how to use specific techniques and tools to communicate software architecture to varied audiences
- Explore ways to influence behavior in a particular direction, rather than having to enforce compliance
- Use clear and concise language and techniques to ensure your message is delivered effectively
Recommended follow-up
- Take Generative AI for Software Architecture Diagrams (live online course with Jacqui Read)
- Read Communication Patterns (book)
- Read “Diagramming Architecture” (chapter 23 in Fundamentals of Software Architecture, second edition)
Schedule
The time frames are only estimates and may vary according to how the class is progressing.
Introduction – Neal Ford (5 minutes)
Neal Ford welcomes you to the Software Architecture Superstream.
Navigating Possible Futures with Wardley Maps – Simon Wardley (35 minutes)
Simon Wardley, the originator of Wardley Maps, explains the powerful utility of Wardley Maps in identifying and targeting strategic objectives—akin to finding treasure in a complex world. He delves into real-world applications, demonstrating how these maps have successfully enabled organizations to change the way they work and challenge what they do.
Communicating Intent – Jacqui Read (35 minutes)
Communication in software development is complex. Our systems might be logical and ordered, but businesses and the outside world are not. How can your software be successful under such circumstances? Jacqui Read explores some of the missing pieces for creating successful software and explains how you can consider and organize your design, architecture, and engineering efforts using the ACED model (acedmodel.com).
Break (5 minutes)
Efficiently Communicating Software Architectures – Milan Milanović (35 minutes)
Software architecture is critical for building and maintaining intricate systems, but it can be challenging to convey these designs to stakeholders. Milan Milanović, engineering leader and longtime software architect, discusses how to use visual aids like diagrams and models, along with clear and concise language, that enables you to communicate your designs effectively, making them accessible to stakeholders.
Nudge Theory and Influencing Empowered Teams – Sarah Wells (35 minutes)
“You build it, you run it” is a fine principle. But there are still things you want all teams to do, and it’s difficult to balance the costs of using separate technologies for each team with the benefits. Nudge theory, derived from behavioral economics, suggests that you can present teams with choices in a way that influences their behavior toward your desired outcome. Technology leader Sarah Wells explains how nudge theory works and how it can encourage empowered teams to follow a common path for the benefit of the organization as a whole.
Break (5 minutes)
Discover Your Architecture with the C4 Model – Ryan Shriver (35 minutes)
When modernizing architecture, it’s imperative to quickly discover current users, systems, and system dependencies. Unfortunately, accurate architecture details are often undocumented—locked in people’s heads. How do you efficiently create an accurate view of the current software architecture while also having fun with your team? Ryan Shriver, CTO of SingleStone, shows you how to use the C4 framework to uncover and visually document software systems in fun and engaging ways.
Speaking in Systems: An Architect’s Superpower – Diana Montalion (35 minutes)
The most impactful software architects aren’t just system designers—they’re systems thinkers and strategic communicators. As complexity and ambiguity increase, models and diagrams are insufficient; architects must construct sound recommendations to justify choices, challenge assumptions, and synthesize competing perspectives into shared direction. Systems architect Diana Montalion explores the compelling benefits of systemic reasoning—the ability to understand, map, and articulate relationships across distributed systems, teams, and roles.
Closing Remarks – Neal Ford (5 minutes)
Neal Ford closes out today’s event.
Your Hosts and Selected Speakers
Neal Ford
Neal Ford is a director, software architect, and meme wrangler at Thoughtworks, a software company and a community of passionate, purpose-led individuals who think disruptively to deliver technology to address the toughest challenges, all while seeking to revolutionize the IT industry and create positive social change. He’s an internationally recognized expert on software development and delivery, especially in the intersection of Agile engineering techniques and software architecture. Neal’s authored several books, a number of magazine articles, and dozens of video presentations (including a video on improving technical presentations) and spoken at hundreds of developer conferences worldwide. His topics of interest include software architecture, continuous delivery, functional programming, and cutting-edge software innovations. Check out his website, Nealford.com
Simon Wardley
Simon Wardley is the inventor of Wardley Mapping, a fellow of OpenForum Europe, a regular conference speaker, and a former CEO. He has also acted as an advisory board member for startups (all now acquired by US giants) and was twice voted among the top 50 most influential people in the UK IT industry. As a geneticist with a love of mathematics and a fascination with economics, Simon has always dealt with complex systems, from patterns of behavior and the environmental risks of chemicals to the development of novel computer systems and the management of companies.
Jacqui Read
Jacqui Read is an internationally-recognised solution and enterprise architect, and author of Communication Patterns: A Guide for Developers and Architects. She teaches public and private workshops and speaks at international conferences on topics such as architecture practices, technical communication, and systems design. Jacqui specializes in untangling and extracting value from data and knowledge, helping businesses to determine direction in complex environments. Her professional interests include collaborative modeling, knowledge management, Domain-Driven Design, sociotechnical architecture, and modernizing enterprise architecture practices. Outside of work she enjoys gardening and strumming her ukulele while singing at the same time. Her website is https://jacquiread.com/.
Milan Milanović
Dr. Milan Milanović is a seasoned engineering leader, software architect, and consultant specializing in cloud computing (Azure) and the Microsoft .NET ecosystem. With over 20 years of experience, he has helped startups and enterprises design scalable architectures, build high-performing engineering teams, and navigate complex technical challenges. Also a writer and speaker, Milan shares insights on engineering management, software architecture, and leadership with a global audience of developers and tech leaders at https://newsletter.techworld-with-milan.com/.
Sarah Wells
Sarah Wells is a technology leader, consultant, and conference speaker with a focus on microservices, engineering enablement, observability, and DevOps. She has over 20 years of experience as a developer, principal engineer, and tech director across product, platform, SRE, and DevOps teams. She spent over a decade working at the Financial Times as it transitioned from 12 releases a year to more than 20,000 and adopted the cloud, microservices, and DevOps.
Ryan Shriver
Ryan Shriver is the chief technology officer of SingleStone, a tech consulting firm that takes a human-centered approach to problem solving. At SingleStone, he leads the design and engineering teams working on architecture modernizations with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Shriver also teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts, where he helps students apply design thinking and Agile practices to solve real-world problems.
Diana Montalion
Diana Montalion is a systems architect working at the intersection of software engineering, systems design, and human intelligence. She helps technical teams design scalable, adaptive systems by encouraging effective decision-making in distributed environments. For over 20 years, Diana has led complex initiatives for organizations including The Economist, The Wikimedia Foundation, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Teach For All. Her talks and workshops combine practical tools with deeply human insights, helping technical teams think in systems, lead with insight, collaborate effectively, and deliver more-impactful outcomes.