What are the essential steps to document technical architecture?

1 Define the scope and purpose

The first step to document technical architecture is to define the scope and purpose of the documentation. What are the goals and objectives of the documentation? Who are the intended audience and users of the documentation? What level of detail and abstraction is required? How will the documentation be used and maintained? Answering these questions will help to establish the scope and purpose of the documentation, and guide the selection of the appropriate format, style, and content.

2 Choose the views and perspectives

The next step to document technical architecture is to choose the views and perspectives that will represent the system. A view is a representation of a set of system elements and their relationships, such as a component diagram, a deployment diagram, or a sequence diagram. A perspective is a way of analyzing or evaluating a view, such as a performance perspective, a security perspective, or a usability perspective. Choosing the views and perspectives that are relevant and important for the system will help to capture the key aspects of the architecture, and address the concerns and interests of different stakeholders.

3 Describe the quality attributes and trade-offs

The third step to document technical architecture is to describe the quality attributes and trade-offs of the system. Quality attributes are the non-functional requirements that affect the behavior and characteristics of the system, such as reliability, scalability, modifiability, or testability. Trade-offs are the decisions and compromises that are made to balance the quality attributes, such as choosing between performance and availability, or between simplicity and flexibility. Describing the quality attributes and trade-offs of the system will help to explain the rationale and implications of the architectural choices, and demonstrate how the system meets or exceeds the expectations and standards.

4 Document the rationale and assumptions

The fourth step to document technical architecture is to document the rationale and assumptions behind the architecture. Rationale is the reasoning and justification for the architectural decisions, such as why a certain component, pattern, or technology was chosen, or why a certain trade-off was made. Assumptions are the conditions and facts that are taken for granted or expected to hold true, such as the availability of resources, the compatibility of interfaces, or the behavior of users. Documenting the rationale and assumptions behind the architecture will help to provide transparency and clarity, and avoid ambiguity and confusion.

5 Use consistent notation and terminology

The fifth step to document technical architecture is to use consistent notation and terminology throughout the documentation. Notation is the set of symbols, diagrams, and rules that are used to represent the system elements and their relationships, such as UML, ArchiMate, or C4. Terminology is the set of words, phrases, and acronyms that are used to describe the system elements and their properties, such as component, interface, service, or API. Using consistent notation and terminology throughout the documentation will help to ensure readability and comprehensibility, and avoid inconsistency and misunderstanding.

6 Review and update the documentation

The sixth and final step to document technical architecture is to review and update the documentation regularly. Reviewing the documentation is the process of checking and verifying the accuracy, completeness, and quality of the documentation, and identifying and correcting any errors, gaps, or inconsistencies. Updating the documentation is the process of reflecting and incorporating any changes, modifications, or enhancements that are made to the system or its environment, such as adding, removing, or updating components, features, or dependencies. Reviewing and updating the documentation regularly will help to maintain the validity and relevance of the documentation, and align it with the current state of the system.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?