Architecture design is not just a choice of technologies, but a series of trade-offs that determine the viability of a product.
Architecture as a Series of Key Decisions
Software architecture is what is difficult to change later. Every decision at the start lays a foundation that will either allow the business to scale or become its "glass ceiling".
Criteria for Architectural Decisions
- Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): How expensive will it be to maintain the system in 2-3 years?
- Scalability: Is the database and network layer ready for a tenfold increase in load?
- Security: Is personal data protection built in at the core level?
An architect must look beyond the horizon of immediate development tasks, balancing speed to market (Time-to-Market) and technical excellence.