Experiences from the Architectural Change Process Josef Nedstam Even-André Karlsson Martin Höst Dept of Telecom, Lund University, Sweden

The Product Lifecycle Market Penetration Time Releases Introduction Growth Maturity Decline

Architecture Work Changes over the Product Lifecycle Time Releases Establish Architecture Use Architecture New Architecture Market Penetration

Process Improvement vs Process Change Time Releases Project oriented Line oriented Next product generation – 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 ReqDesignImplIntegrationSys Test ?

Method Round 1: General interviews ”Hypothesis”: There’s a process Analysis: Does the process apply? 3 Companies Round 2: Specific interviews 7 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 emerges 2.Initial decision preparation –Document background –Identify stakeholders/decision makers 3.Decision: Go/no-go 4.Decision preparation –Analyze technical alternatives –Analyze process and organization impact –Return on investment 5.Decision: Rollout 6.Rollout

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 systems 1.Protocol Framework 2.Real-Time Operating System Company B: Platforms for consumer electronics 3.Data Router 4.HAL Split 5.Include-file Reorganization Company C: Development tools 6.Communication Mechanism 7.Editor Framework

The Changes ChgDriverSource 1Distribute development Corporate, mergers, TtM 2Cut nbr of OSesCorporate, costs 3Save memoryArchitects, HW costs 4Simplify HW changesDevelopers, TtM 5Restore tool supportAll, tool failure 6Increase nbr of editorsArchitects, integration 7Reuse editor elementsArchitects, distribution, TtM Protocol Framework: RTOS switch: Data Router: HAL Split: Include-file reorganization: Communication mechanism: Editor Framework:

: 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

: Initial Decision Preparation Low cost step – hopefully possible for anyone to initiate Background, stakeholders, decision-makers, impact Will change be accepted?

: 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

: Decision Preparation Technical alternatives Process/organizational impact Return on investment Performed as Implementation Proposal Company: Make right decision Initiator: Show need for change

: 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?

: 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 Organization Quality Thesis: Changes of Processes and Architectures

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 Release Preemptive Architecture Investment Unscheduled Architecture Fix

My Solution The PM Pointer Upcoming Ideas: PM Rearview Mirror PM 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