Purpose

The primary purpose of Architecture Principles are:

  1. Enable decision-making - it is important to set precedence during trade-off discussions and authority of tie-breaking if it must occur
  2. Align the enterprise - principles take subjectivity and bias out of the equation and drive critical conversations that are objective and aligned to the enterprise’s values
  3. Governance - how will the enterprise ensure that the right decisions are surfaced at the right time and with the right decision-makers, and, moreover, how to monitor the decisions and approach taken to arrive at the decision?
  4. Values and Culture - provide a better understanding about the enterprise’s culture and values; provide an approach and insight into how well the enterprise reacts to change

Characteristics

The following are some primary characteristics of Architecture Principles:

  1. Complete - Defined and comprehensive covering all perceived situations
  2. Consistent - Expressed in a way that balances flexible interpretation without allowing contradictions
  3. Stable - Enduring but able to accommodate change
  4. Understandable - Intentions are clear and unabmbiguous, the language should be simple and accessible
  5. Robust - Enable consistent decisions with good quality enabling reasoning about the architecture.

Hierarchy

There are different levels of Principles, with Enterprise Principles setting the boundary for the lower level principles:

  1. Enterprise Principles - The highest level of principles that define the overarching direction and values of the enterprise.
  2. Segment Principles - Elaborated from the principles above and specific to a particular segment of the enterprise.
  3. Architecture Principles - Cannot overstep the boundaries of a higher-level principle.

Enterprise Principles

  • Provide a basis for decision making throughout the enterprise
  • Inform and support how an organisation fulfils its objective or mission
  • A key element of an Architecture Governance strategy
  • Can have subsidiary principles at a business unit or operational level

Architecture Principles

  • Relate specifically to Architecture Work
  • Govern the Architecture Process
  • Should embody the values and thinking behind enterprise principles

Content

Each principle should contain (at a minimum)

  1. Name - Unambiguous and related to the purpose of the principle. Easy to remember
  2. Statement - A succinct and fundamental rule that is embodied in the principle
  3. Rational - Highlights the business benefits of adhering to the principle. Describes relationships to other principles. Guidance towards the correct interpretation of the principle
  4. Implications - The requirements for the principle to be adhered to. The impact to business and consequences of adopting the principle. Describes the impact of the principle on the architecture in terms of resources and cost.