Software Architecture: Principles and Practices

Although the term software architecture is used frequently in today's software industry, its meaning is not universally understood.

• What is software architecture?
• How do you use software architectures in practice?
• What does a software architect do for an organization?
• What value does software architecture provide?

This course introduces the essential concepts of software architecture. A software architecture is an abstract view of a software system distinct from the details of implementation, algorithms, and data representation. Architecture is, increasingly, a crucial part of a software organization's business strategy. Software architectures can

• provide flexibility and adaptability in changing markets
• allow for interoperability with other players in the marketplace
• provide leverage of control in a marketplace
• help developers focus on a niche in the marketplace
• be used as a sales and marketing tool
• help reduce maintenance costs and amortize development costs
• assist in workforce organization and with project oversight and control
• establish a common corporate vocabulary
• shorten learning time

This two-day course emphasizes the importance of the business (or mission) context in which systems are designed and introduces participants to software architectures in a real-world setting. "Industrial-strength" case studies illuminate the key technical and organizational issues regarding software architectures. This course is based on the book Software Architecture in Practice, 2^nd Edition.

Who should attend?

This course is targeted at those professionals who design, develop, or manage the construction of software-reliant systems. This course is designed to help practicing software professionals quickly gain insight into the latest concepts of what software architecture is and how to use it successfully.

What will you learn?

This course provides attendees with a thorough overview of software architectures. After attending this course, participants will have a better understanding of

• the relationships between system qualities and software architectures
• software architectural patterns and their relationship to system qualities
• software architecture evaluation
• attribute-driven design
• software architecture documentation
• architectural reuse



This course is the most fundamental of the six courses in the SEI Software Architecture Curriculum. At the conclusion of the course, attendees will be eligible to take the SEI's Software Architecture Design and Analysis and Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) Evaluator Training courses. Attendees will also be better prepared for the SEI's Documenting Software Architectures and Software Product Lines courses. This course is the first course required in the SEI's Software Architecture Professional and ATAM Evaluator certificate programs.