Architecture Reviews in Software Development Organizations

Most companies developing an operating software systems reach a point of time when the architecture of one or more systems is questioned. Triggers are, for example, serious operational issues, like inconsistent data, failures, or high complexity of the system leading to costly workarounds and slow time-to-market. Furthermore, companies thriving for a higher efficiency by standardizing processes and the technology stack may consider compliance reviews of the systems' architectures as a useful means. Both motivations, current issues and conformity checks, are covered by two patterns introduced in this paper. They are supposed to introduce different objectives for architectural reviews and provide practical guidance for organizing and setting up architecture reviews. Thus, the patterns rather focus on motivation and organizational aspects than on details of architectural analysis. The target group entails IT architects, IT managers, chief developers and interested people from industry and academia. There exist other methods and patterns concerning architecture reviews. Some of them are considered or referenced, but this paper does not contain a comprehensive comparison. The authors would like to discuss commonalities, differences, insights from practical application, and potential links between of the introduced and existing architecture review patterns within the pattern community. This discussion may lead to a better overview or, on the long run, even to a pattern language for architecture reviews.