You're navigating changes in project scope. How do you safeguard the integrity of your software architecture?

Change is the only constant in the area of Software development. Priorities, scope, resource availability, budget, timelines etc can all change due to several reasons. Ask the below questions to know you are safeguarding architecture: 1. Are the architecture decisions helping to produce outcomes efficiently ? Efficiency in this case can be measured via time, effort, or repeatability. 2. Are you continuing to create value to your end customers? Customer in this case can be internal (if you are responsible for platform/internal DevX tooling or stakeholders such as Product Managers/ Designers. 3. Are you curating and documenting repeatable patterns or practices for future use? If the answers are a 'YES', you are off to a good start.

Flexibility is generally a positive trait, but achieving it in architecture can be quite challenging. Consider, for example, wanting to change the architecture of a building by adding another bathroom. To do so, you would likely need to demolish a significant portion of the structure, which involves considerable cost and effort. The same principle applies to software: altering the architecture can be very expensive. However, with a well-designed level of abstraction, it's possible to make architectural changes within a reasonable cost range. The key here is good abstraction.

To safeguard the integrity of your software architecture amid changing project scope, start by maintaining a clear architectural vision and documentation. Involve stakeholders in discussions to understand the implications of scope changes, assessing their impact on the architecture. Use version control to track changes in design decisions. Implement automated testing to ensure existing functionality remains intact as new features are added. Encourage a modular design that isolates changes, reducing ripple effects. Regularly review and refactor the architecture to address any degradation. Lastly, foster open communication within the team to identify potential issues early and collaboratively find solutions.

To safeguard the integrity of your software architecture while navigating changes in project scope, start by clearly documenting the original architecture and its design principles. Assess the impact of scope changes on the existing architecture to identify potential risks or areas that may require adjustments. Use a structured change management process to evaluate and approve modifications, ensuring they align with architectural goals and do not compromise stability or scalability. Communicate with your team and stakeholders to understand the rationale behind scope changes and incorporate feedback effectively. Implement thorough testing and validation to confirm that changes do not introduce vulnerabilities or degrade performance.

The key here is maintaining active documentation. For example, you can use tools like Swagger to document your API, comment on complex code, or build End-to-End tests using frameworks like Gherkin. All of these practices contribute to active documentation that is integrated into the application itself. The problem with external documentation is that it often goes unread or quickly becomes outdated.

I fully agree, and I’d like to add that everything we do to improve or maintain quality ultimately relies on people. The primary goal, therefore, should be to foster a learning environment.

Agile methodology addresses this by incorporating various meetings, particularly Planning and Refinement sessions. Through planning we are communicating and defining togheter everything avout the current sprint. Through Refinements we are comunicating our ideas related to future developments.