Creating an architecture

The task of creating an architecture for an enterprise-grade system can be organized into three steps:

1. Defining the solution boundaries.
2. Creating the solution structure.
3. Creating the component design.

Let's understand these steps in detail.

Defining the solution boundaries

The first step for a solution architect is to understand the boundaries of the proposed solution. This is an important task as, with boundaries, the solution can be a moving target which is difficult to contain. Defining clear solution boundaries helps the delivery team focus on the right scope for the solution to be designed and developed.

The main input for this process of defining the boundaries of a solution would be the business requirements driving the solution. External dependencies such as external systems or processes which needs to be integrated with the solution also influences this process. These inputs help the architect define the context and scope for the solution. It also enables normalization...