The Art of (Architecture) Decision Making

Architects make decisions and/or offer options for others to take decisions. An immense responsibility is put on the shoulders of architects, as there is always the possibility that decisions taken may turn out to be "wrong".

Play with words coming...ah beautiful thing, words.

The wrong decision made for the wrong reasons is bad, and the cause may be due to a combination of circumstances, worst of all if due to the architect not having done the right things to come to a decision. However is there a case for a "wrong" decision taken for the "right " reasons? Absolutely, happens all the time.

The important thing is to realize at the "right" time, that the initial decision taken was wrong.

The perverse consequence is that the righter you keep on supporting the wrong decision the wronger it becomes. If you keep supporting the wrong decision and make a mistake and correct it, you become wronger. In that case it is better to do the right thing wrong than the wrong thing right. 🤔

Architects and other decision makers have many mechanisms and utilities in their toolbox to detect when the once "right" may now be "wrong".

Most important start is to ensure there are (Architecture) Decision Records/Logs, that not only reflect the decision, but how it came to be.

Another is a simple and regular, Reflection - critically looking backward- and Inflection -critically looking forward- mechanism. Remembering the key architects' principle: " To Blame is Lame"

Others include the evaluation methods used at "design time" aka before taking the decision, and at "run time" aka after the decision has been taken. Noting that decision making is not exact science, science may help, but in the end it is still an art.

An art that can be aided by adopting an adaptive/evolutionary architectural approach.

In all cases many simple and more sophisticated tools are available to the (architecture) decision maker and/or influencer. Architects pick and choose the "right" tool for the "right" situation.

Whether it is using (weighed) scoring mechanism with MoScoW (Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, Wont have) requirements, ATAM(Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method), CBAM(Cost Benefit Analysis Method), NPV(Net Present Value), Fitness Functions, Markov Chaining, Monte Carlo Simulation, etc… Architects will use that what best aids the decision making process taking into account the constraints of scope, time, risk and budget.

For your reference this excellent academic paper byDalia Sobhygives an overview AND review of many of these:
https://lnkd.in/enAYTXDP

Warning if you have gone through all of the above and especially Dalia's paper and linked references you may be experiencing "the Nutty Architect" syndrome...

Perfect moment to smuggle in one of my childhood heroes, Jerry Lewis 😏