The architectural change process

Software architecture is recognized as a critical factor for successful products, but few have studied how organizations decide on architectural changes. We study the topic through several case studies. The changes are in all cases changes to the quality attributes of the system, and follow the same general process. We find that architectural changes have aspects of both functional and organizational changes. An architectural change does not only need to be technically sound, but it also needs to be anchored firmly in the organization. This paper describes the general architectural change process, and gives both architects and managers guidelines to balance short-term project goals and long-term organizational goals within this process.