Tackling architectural complexity with modeling

Abstract

The ever- increasing might of modern computers has made it possible to solve problems once considered too difficult to tackle. Far too often, however, the systems for these functionally complex problem spaces have overly complicated architectures. Here, I use the term architecture to refer to the overall macro design of a system rather than the details of how the individual parts are implemented. The system architecture is what is behind the scenes of usable functionality, including internal and external communication mechanisms, component boundaries and coupling, and how the system will make use of any underlying infrastructure (databases, networks, among others). The architecture is the "right" answer to the question: how does this system work?. © 2010 ACM.