The Architecture Analysis Course

This is a 2-day hands-on interactive course that explores architecture analysis and its underlying concepts. It covers the PQR Method approach to ideation using Design Thinking from a quality perspective and the Solution Architecture Review Method approach to architecture analysis and evaluation.

It cover a wide range of architectural thinking and related concepts, including:

  • Architectural descriptions
  • Perspectives / Viewpoints
  • Architecturally significant requirements
  • Functional & non-functional requirements
  • Decision records
  • Stakeholder analysis
  • Business model canvass
  • Capability models
  • Quality characteristics & attributes
  • Quality models
  • Trade-off analysis
  • Risk & risk models
  • Design Thinking
  • Product Quality Risk
  • Cost Benefit analysis
  • Perspective Base Architecture Method

For a more detailed exploration of Architecture Analysis, see the video on this page.

The ten-minute video below describes the course in a bit more detail:

The course is punctuated with exercises conducted in small groups. A single case study is pursued in a series of exercises building an understanding of all aspects in a consistent way. A service case study is proved for use in the exercises, allowing participants to focus on the concepts without getting side-tracked into technical debates, but participants can alternatively choose to bring along real examples from their work for development during the two days. They should be prepared to show these to others, contributing to the shared learning experience of all participants.

  • Day 1
    • Welcome and Introductions
    • What do we use architecture descriptions for?
    • How do we describe architectures?
    • Architecture Requirements and Decisions
      • Architecturally Significant Requirements
      • Architecturally Significant Decisions
    • Quality Attributes and Risk
    • Creating the context in SARM
    • EXERCISE – creating a context
    • Adding stakeholder perspectives
    • EXERCISE – add stakeholder perspectives
    • Design Thinking and ideation
    • EXERCISE – developing a service concept
    • Summary and Day 1 wrap up
  • Day 2
    • Welcome and reflections on day 1
    • Ideation of quality opportunities and risk (PQR Method)
    • EXERCISE – refining the service concepts
    • EXERCISE – presenting the service concepts
    • Trade-off analysis
    • EXERCISE – analysis worshop evaluating service concepts
    • Cost Benefit Analysis
    • Revisiting the Quality Model
    • EXERCISE – explore a real world case study
    • Course summary and conclusions
    • Actions, thoughts and feedback