Refining Software Architecture

Consommé holds great importance as a delicate soup made from clarified broth, typically using beef or veal. Achieving a perfectly clear consommé is a challenging and time-consuming task, as it requires the removal of fat and other solids that cloud the broth. The desired clarity can only be obtained through repeated, meticulous straining using fine-grained methods. This meticulous refinement process contributes to the creation of a remarkably rich flavor. Tasting a consommé is akin to experiencing the essence of a dish itself, which is the primary objective of this culinary creation.

In American culinary schools, aspiring chefs are often tested on their ability to make consommé. A simple test involves the teacher dropping a dime into the amber broth. To pass the test, the student must be able to read the date on the dime resting at the bottom of the bowl. Failing to do so results in failure.

Similarly, software architecture necessitates a continuous refinement of ideas and concepts. Just as consommé requires straining to achieve clarity, software architects must strain and refine their thoughts to determine the essence of each requirement in the system. The goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the properties and relationships within the architecture, ensuring verifiable truth and internal consistency.

Ambiguity and general language in software development often lead to missed requirements and bugs. To address this, it is crucial to repeatedly ask the same questions to customers, developers, analysts, and users until a thorough understanding is achieved. By disguising questions or approaching them from different angles, new insights, differences, or contradictions can be revealed. The process of straining and refining must be performed repeatedly.

To uncover the essence of concepts within the architecture, focus on what can be removed, particularly the nouns that constitute them. Surgical precision should be applied to the language used in requirements, eliminating ambiguity, generality, unwarranted assumptions, and unnecessary verbiage. This practice enriches and strengthens the concepts involved. Reduction should be a continuous effort.

Testing statements by appending "always and forever and in every circumstance" helps expose any uncertainties or inconsistencies. People often hesitate to commit to absolute statements and are forced to refine their words accordingly. Representations of concepts should be subjected to linguistic scrutiny to enhance clarity. Repeat this process until you are left with a comprehensive list of simple and verifiably true statements that accurately describe the essential nature of the system.

You will know when the architecture is complete—when you can look through it and read the date on a dime. #ConsommeClarity #RefiningSoftwareArchitecture #EssenceOfConcepts #StrainAndRefine #PreciseLanguage #VerifiableTruth #ContinuousReduction #ClearArchitecture #DimeTest