Each year, the SEI Architecture Technology User Network (SATURN) Conference brings together experts from around the world to exchange best architecture-centric practices in developing, acquiring, and maintaining software-reliant systems. Architects at all levels meet to share ideas and lessons learned, network, and learn about new and existing technologies.

SATURN 2010 Theme: Architecting for Change

Think about it: Over the lifetime of a system, requirements for it change; organizations that own and use it undergo changes; technologies and technology platforms used with it change; infrastructure supporting it changes; and people and personnel who maintain and manage it change.

Within just the past few years, we have seen a growing emphasis on new approaches, technologies, and concerns that were not considered important before such as 

• cloud computing platforms: Google and Amazon, among other companies, have moved to new business models.
• the emergence of multicore processors: More and more organizations are focusing on adapting to this powerful platform.
• the need for cost-effective data management: Especially in the context of health care, this need is driving organizations to undertake data-modernization projects.
• the increasing cost of energy: Software engineers are seeking ways to reduce consumption and production costs in the applications they develop.

Organizations need their systems to be able to adapt to change while continuing to meet business and mission goals. Yet, organizations must be able to respond to change with agility without compromising quality. Maintaining a balance between architecting for change proactively and responding to change opportunistically continues to be a challenge.

Topics for SATURN 2010

For SATURN 2010, we seek experience reports and discussions of architecture methods, techniques, and practices that enable organizations to continue to meet their business and customer goals in the face of persistent change. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to

• managing system evolution through architecture-centric practices
• preserving architectural support for important system qualities while moving to new technologies
• case studies of architecting for change
• techniques, methods, tools, and processes that support the ability to design for change
• economic and managerial considerations for architecting in a changing environment
• architecture reconstruction and conformance
• dealing with technology obsolescence
• using agile or open approaches to deal effectively with architecture in a changing environment
• staging architectural decisions to account for resource constraints and changing business goals
• enabling change through self-adapting systems