Care for simple architecture

We J2EE architects must care for simple architecture; few things might help do develop application which are long lasting and easy to accommodate future requirements.

For example; I tried with followings
1) Care for OO rather than standards/specifications
2) Create architecture against requirements in hand rather than technology specific
3) Do not distribute objects if requirements are not called for
4) Follow good architecture and design principles rather than just following patterns
5) Leverage on lightweight architecture like Spring centric which greatly helps in interface driven programming, container level capabilities, test strategies
6) Follow thought full analysis of business requirements and come up with list of high level components, its responsibilities and associated rationale
7) Follow whiteboard driven architectures to kick start the discussion
Care for executable architecture (RUP), spike resolution (XP) and vertical slicing to get confidence in the architecture
8) Come up with list of development standards, guidelines and implementation classes

Architecture development steps

I used mind-mapping technique to represent and structure the architecture development
steps.

It is being influenced by TOGAF and RUP architecture development guidelines.

Software Quality vs Design Principle, Pattern and Practice Catalog

The Software System usually has many quality attributes, such as Maintainance, Performance, Security, Usabality etc. It is very important to have catalog of patterns, principles or other related practices which is being mapped to software quality attributes.

For example; I tried like this:

Utility Projects and Strategic Projects

I like the idea of project catagorization like utility projects and strategic projects. This helps organizations to spend their IT investments rather carefully; again it is inline with application portfolio of an enterprise.

But enterprise can really focus their energy and investments on strategically aligned projects so that competetive advanatages are more.

Architecture vs Design

Architecture is all about identifying the major components and its associations/responsibilities with right level of abstraction. It also involves taking decisions which are having system wide effect.
Where in design is all about constructing the software based on the context set by architecture. It involves choice of better algorithms, applying logic, patterns, reusable/generic blocks etc.