Experiences from the Architectural Change Process

Experiences from the Architectural Change

ProcessJosef Nedstam

Even-André Karlsson Martin Höst

Dept of Telecom, Lund University, Swedenwww.telecom.lth.se/Personal/josefn/lic

The Product LifecycleMarket Penetration

Time

Releases

Introduction

Growth

MaturityDecline

Architecture Work Changes over the Product

Lifecycle

Time

Releases

EstablishArchitecture

Use Architecture

NewArchitecture

Market Penetration

Process Improvement vs Process Change

Time

Releases

Projectoriented

Line oriented

Next productgeneration – New process

Market Penetration

Research Question

• Requirements -> Functions -> Modules: Fairly well understood

• Problem -> Technically optimal architecture solution: Fairly well understood

• Existing system -> Changing Driving Requirements -> Architecture Changes?

F1

Fn

M1

Mn

Req Design Impl Integration Sys Test

?

MethodRound 1: General

interviews”Hypothesis”:

There’s a process

Analysis: Does the process

apply?

3 Companies

Round 2: Specific

interviews7 Cases

Round 1: Interviews

• 1-2 Architects at 3 companies

• How are architectural changes decided?

• Identifying and discussing current architecture changes

Round 1: Interviews

• 1-2 Architects at 3 companies

• How are architectural changes decided?

• Identifying and discussing current architecture changes

Round 1: Interviews

• 1-2 Architects at 3 companies

• How are architectural changes decided?

• Identifying and discussing current architecture changes

A Generic Architecture Change Process

1. A need emerges2. Initial decision preparation

– Document background– Identify stakeholders/decision

makers

3. Decision: Go/no-go4. Decision preparation

– Analyze technical alternatives– Analyze process and organization

impact– Return on investment

5. Decision: Rollout6. Rollout

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Round 2: Interviews

• Architects involved in the 7 changes

• What was the architecture change?

• Why was the architectural change needed?

• Who initiated it?• How was the

associated decision made?

Round 2: Interviews

• Architects involved in the 7 changes

• What was the architecture change?

• Why was the architectural change needed?

• Who initiated it?• How was the

associated decision made?

Round 2: Interviews

• Architects involved in the 7 changes

• What was the architecture change?

• Why was the architectural change needed?

• Who initiated it?• How was the

associated decision made?

Round 2: Interviews

• Architects involved in the 7 changes

• What was the architecture change?

• Why was the architectural change needed?

• Who initiated it?• How was the

associated decision made?

Round 2: Interviews

• Architects involved in the 7 changes

• What was the architecture change?

• Why was the architectural change needed?

• Who initiated it?• How was the

associated decision made?

The Changes

Company A: Control systems1. Protocol Framework2. Real-Time Operating System

Company B: Platforms for consumer electronics3. Data Router4. HAL Split5. Include-file Reorganization

Company C: Development tools6. Communication Mechanism7. Editor Framework

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The ChangesChg

Driver Source

1 Distribute development

Corporate, mergers, TtM

2 Cut nbr of OSes Corporate, costs

3 Save memory Architects, HW costs

4 Simplify HW changes Developers, TtM

5 Restore tool support All, tool failure

6 Increase nbr of editors Architects, integration

7 Reuse editor elements Architects, distribution, TtM

Protocol Framework:

RTOS switch:

Data Router:

HAL Split:

Include-file reorganization:

Communication mechanism:

Editor Framework:

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1: A Need Emerges

• Initiators: All Levels• Technical implications from

organizational changes/business decisions come as a surprise

• More knowledge needed regarding impact of decisions

• People should be encouraged to start analyzing architecture changes

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2: Initial Decision Preparation

• Low cost step – hopefully possible for anyone to initiate

• Background, stakeholders, decision-makers, impact

• Will change be accepted?

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3: Decision Point:Go/No-Go

• First decision to commit resources

• Initiator: Convince• Decision maker: Prioritize

resources• Who can commit resources?• Tie preparations to people

affected

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4: Decision Preparation

• Technical alternatives• Process/organizational impact• Return on investment• Performed as Implementation

Proposal• Company: Make right decision• Initiator: Show need for change

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5: Decision Point: Rollout

• As Tollgate 2• But who will implement changes?

(Technical / process / organziational)

• Tradeoff: Amount of architectural change vs amount of new feature content

• When will rollout happen?

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6: Rollout

• Technical aspects: Product-oriented projects– Solutions developed separately by

architects may not be embraced– Finding a project that will accept

responsibility

• Organizational/Process aspects:– Organization seldom exists– Synchronize with technical change

Differences Functional/Architectural

Changes• Functional

– Needs come from customers

– Established organization and process for managing change

– Feature by feature _

– Limited effects– Part of standard

work

• Architectural– Needs can emerge

from many sources– Changes often not

tied to architecture organization, no established process _

– Often spans many features

– Affects organization– Affects how people

work

Rollout

• How to implement technical parts?

– Separate project– Parallel project– Part of standard

project– New product

generation

• How to implement organizational changes?– Insufficient long-

term view in projects?

– Insufficient ability to influence projects from line management?

Architectural Changes lead to Process and

Organizational Changes

Process

Project

Architecture

Features

Line

How work is done

Product

OrganizationQuality

Thesis: Changes of Processes and Architectureswww.telecom.lth.se/Personal/josefn/lic

Further Work

• The balance between line and project

• Survey: Categorization of architecture changes: Drivers, initiators, success factors, organization, implementation environment

• Deep dive into the organizational change

• Empowering architects

Further Work

• Architecture Investment Business Cases?

Cost

Time

ReleasePreemptiveArchitectureInvestment

UnscheduledArchitectureFix

My Solution

The PM Pointer

Upcoming Ideas:PM Rearview MirrorPM Kick-in-the-butt

Discussion Issues

• How to organize architecture work? (Line/Project)

• When to do architecture work? (Preemptive/Just-in-time/The bottom line)

• How to perform neccessary reorganizations?

• How to develop?– Line: Effective, specialized– Project: Teamwork, from start to finish, clear

goals