The document discusses the evolution of software architecture through five distinct ages, from monolithic systems in the 1980s to intelligent connected systems in the 2020s. It highlights the successes of software architecture in managing structure, stakeholder engagement, and non-functional requirements, while also addressing its limitations in dynamic structures and operational costs. The future of software architecture is suggested to focus on emergent properties, data-driven design, and integrating intelligence into systems.

1. endava.com
QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION.
Software Architecture as
Systems Dissolve
Eoin Woods
OOP 2016
Munich, February 2016
20160114.1

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Software
Architecture as
Systems Dissolve
 Ages of Software Systems
 Ages of Software Architecture
 Software Architecture Assessed
 The Future?
QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION.

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Software Architecture
Ever evolving but always important
• Many definitions by many people
• Stakeholders
• Structures
• Principles and Decisions
• System Qualities
• Manages risk - evolves as challenges change
QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION.

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Systems are Dissolving!
QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION.

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The 5 Ages of Software Systems
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Monolithic
(1980s)
Distributed
Monoliths
(1990s)
Internet
Connected
(2000s)
Internet is
the System
(2010s)
Intelligent
Connected
(2020s)

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Concerns Across the Ages
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Monolithic
(80s)
Distributed
(90s)
Internet
Connected
(2000s)
Internet is
the System
(2010s)
Intelligent
Connected
(2020s)

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The 5 Ages of Software Architecture
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Program
Structure
(1980s)
- Modules
- Info hiding
Emergence
(1990s)
- Definitions
- Concepts
- WICSA
conference
Development
(2000s)
- Views
- NFRs
- Stakeholders
- Styles
- Assessment
- Methods
- Books
Maturity
(2010s)
- Decisions
- Agility
- Sustainability
- Evolution
The future …
(2020s)

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Necessity Leads to Invention
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Monolitic
Foundations
Models of Structure
Distributed
Views, Stakeholders,
Styles, Assessment
Internet
Connected
Non-Functional Qualities,
Agility, Evolution
Internet as a
System
Decisions, Principles,
Sustainability, …
Intelligent
Connected

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Software Architecture’s Successes
What has software architecture been good at?
• Structure, connections, responsibilities
• Stakeholders
• Multiple-views of systems
• Styles and patterns
• Non-functional requirements
• Cost to build transparency (capex)
• Principles and decisions
• Agility (?)
QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION.

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Software Architecture’s Misses
What have software architecture‘s blind spots been?
• Dynamic structures
• Data and algorithms as architectural elements
• Operating the systems
• Cost-to-operate transparency (opex)
QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION.

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How Architecture has Helped
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Monolithic
Client/Server
Internet
Connected
Internet as a
System
Intelligent
Connected
Program Structure
Structure + Connections +
Responsibilities + Stakeholders
+ Styles + Assessment
+ NFRs + Agility + Evolution
…. operations?
+ Sustainability + Principles + Decisions
… emergent properties?
… dynamic structures?
… operations? (again)
… costs moving to opex?
What’s next?
… algorithmic architecture?
… data determining qualities?
… operations? (yet again)
…. cost prediction?

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Software Architecture’s Future
Less More
Defined Structure Emergent Runtime Structure
Certainty Probability
Structural Design Data and Algorithm Design
Operations Process Operations Policy & Automation
Capex Opex
Decisions Principles, Policies, Algorithms
QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION.
Software architecture has been good at structure, certainty
and relationships … the rest is work-in-progress!

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Software Architecture’s Future
What remains important
• Stakeholders
• Principles and policies
• Multiple views of an architecture
• Non-functional qualities
• Assessment
The future …
• Dynamic composition & structure
• Emergent properties at runtime
• Integrating “intelligence” into systems
• Data, algorithms as architectural elements
• Designing the running costs … and energy efficiency!
QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION.

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Thank you
QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY. INNOVATION.
Eoin Woods
Endava
eoin.woods@endava.com
+44 207 367 1000
en_ewoods