January 31, 2016 / Dennis Holinka
Topic 2 – Application Architecture layer
This week's posts go over the Application Architecture layer, the various perspectives, and related reflections in the blog.
Post 1 - Application Architect and related roles
There is much confusion both in the theory and practice of Application Architecture as to the role distinctions that it plays as compared to Solution Architecture and Software Architecture. In the readings from Gartner, it has been found that "Enterprises that fail to distinguish SA work from AA work miss opportunities to ensure single project success and multi-project reuse." The reason for this is best expressed as an automotive analogy on how things ought to work. In the automotive business, many of the large components of the vehicle are designed and manufactured by automotive component suppliers. These suppliers are akin to the software architects of critical subsystem components and they rigorously architect and design the subassemblies, even large ones, so that the automotive factory can produce from large subsystem parts that are available in inventory. Those individual inventoried items are each architected and designed with strict detail as to the focus within each of those components and the interactions of its parts. Application Architects are akin to automotive supply chain experts at the Auto manufacturers that create sophisticated cataloging and inventorying, rules on which components need to be used under contextual automobile models and manufacturing processes. The application architects provide the rules for assembly, the categorization of subsystems that work together as larger sets by automobile families, makes, and models. The Solution Architects are the akin to the robotic and unionized manual labor assemblers whose job it is to assemble the makes and models according to pre-specified families, makes, and models and then assemble customization options as may be tailored on the manufacturing line. Each role has a special contribution to play in the overall mass production and customization factory.
Enterprise solutions are very much similar to this approach of considering the overall principles, models, and artifacts for reuse. It begins with having an Application Architect who is in charge of defining and creating an enterprise based inventory of application subsystem structures for reuse including the buying and/or building of subsystem assemblies. The application architect specializes in the overall domain viewpoint of application structures across the enterprise and the patterns and solutions sets that repeat themselves throughout the company.
The Software and System Architect works to define the subsystem assemblies that will be used in multiple contexts by multiple solution architects in the enterprise either by internal architects that are blueprinting for internal building of subsystems or buying by either providing the blueprint or buying an already made subsystem with an existing blueprint design. The parts architecture design of the internal subsystem is the focus of this architect.
The Solutions Architect works to define enterprise solutions from the overall principles, models, and tools provided in inventory or being created in inventory by an application architect. The solution architect works to provide architectural design blueprints for the solutions and works to reuse the design patterns that the particular project calls for in the project. The solutions architect acts as a proponent of application architecture reuse given the solution context for the present IT solution.
There is much confusion both in the theory and practice of Application Architecture as to the role distinctions that it plays as compared to Solution Architecture and Software Architecture. In the readings from Gartner, it has been found that "Enterprises that fail to distinguish SA work from AA work miss opportunities to ensure single project success and multi-project reuse." The reason for this is best expressed as an automotive analogy on how things ought to work. In the automotive business, many of the large components of the vehicle are designed and manufactured by automotive component suppliers. These suppliers are akin to the software architects of critical subsystem components and they rigorously architect and design the subassemblies, even large ones, so that the automotive factory can produce from large subsystem parts that are available in inventory. Those individual inventoried items are each architected and designed with strict detail as to the focus within each of those components and the interactions of its parts. Application Architects are akin to automotive supply chain experts at the Auto manufacturers that create sophisticated cataloging and inventorying, rules on which components need to be used under contextual automobile models and manufacturing processes. The application architects provide the rules for assembly, the categorization of subsystems that work together as larger sets by automobile families, makes, and models. The Solution Architects are the akin to the robotic and unionized manual labor assemblers whose job it is to assemble the makes and models according to pre-specified families, makes, and models and then assemble customization options as may be tailored on the manufacturing line. Each role has a special contribution to play in the overall mass production and customization factory.
Enterprise solutions are very much similar to this approach of considering the overall principles, models, and artifacts for reuse. It begins with having an Application Architect who is in charge of defining and creating an enterprise based inventory of application subsystem structures for reuse including the buying and/or building of subsystem assemblies. The application architect specializes in the overall domain viewpoint of application structures across the enterprise and the patterns and solutions sets that repeat themselves throughout the company.
Figure: Application Architect - Application Supply Chain Specialist
The Software and System Architect works to define the subsystem assemblies that will be used in multiple contexts by multiple solution architects in the enterprise either by internal architects that are blueprinting for internal building of subsystems or buying by either providing the blueprint or buying an already made subsystem with an existing blueprint design. The parts architecture design of the internal subsystem is the focus of this architect.
Figure: Software and/or Systems Architect - Application Subsystem / Assembly Specialist
The Solutions Architect works to define enterprise solutions from the overall principles, models, and tools provided in inventory or being created in inventory by an application architect. The solution architect works to provide architectural design blueprints for the solutions and works to reuse the design patterns that the particular project calls for in the project. The solutions architect acts as a proponent of application architecture reuse given the solution context for the present IT solution.
Figure: Solution Architect - Application Architecture Intellectual Property Assembler and Re-user
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