Software Architecture: Principles & Practices - eLearning

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 online 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, 2nd Edition.

Learners will have three months to complete the course. Upon completing all course elements, the learner is awarded an electronic certificate of course completion and 1.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

Who should attend?

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

What will you learn?

This online course provides attendees with a thorough overview of software architectures. After completing this course in entirety, learners 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.

It is also the first course required in the SEI's Software Architecture Professional and ATAM Evaluator certificate programs.

Course Details at a Glance

2009 Course Fees [USD]

eLearning: $500

eLearning

This self-paced course is available online via the SEI Virtual Training Environment (VTE). This course offers 11 hours of lecture videos and transcripts, course slides, and self-assessments.



If you wish to purchase this course for a group of learners, please email course-info@sei.cmu.edu or telephone at +1 412-268-7622 for group rate details.


The SEI offers this course as instructor-led classroom training and as eLearning.
 

 

 

For More Information

 

E-mail: course-info@sei.cmu.edu
Phone: 412-268-7622

 

 


This self-paced course is available online.
  • definition and overview of software architecture
  • the architecture business cycle: what influences software architects and software architecture
  • understanding and achieving quality attributes
  • attribute-driven design
  • documenting software architecture
  • evaluating software architecture
  • architecture reuse


Software Architecture: Principles and Practices -eLearning will require a minimum of 12 hours of study time. Once registered, learners will be granted 24-hour-a-day access to the course material for three months.

This course is designed so that the learner can participate at any time that is convenient. The VTE presents the course elements sequentially to guide the learner through the material, but at the learner's pace. Exercises follow the introduction of new ideas to reinforce and apply the concepts that have been taught. Learners can explore the exercises and the solution set recommended by the SEI. All parts of the course can be repeated as often as needed by the learner.

Before registering for this course, participants should have

  • experience in the development of software-reliant systems
  • some familiarity with modern software engineering concepts

Before beginning this course, the learner must acquire a copy of the text book: Software Architecture in Practice, 2nd Edition. The textbook can be purchased in both printed and electronic forms through the following links: printed version and eBook version.

To access this course, your computer must have the following:
  • Broadband (greater than 200kbps) internet connection (for video streaming)
  • AJAX-capable browser (Microsoft Internet Explorer 6+ or Mozilla Firefox 1.5+ for Windows, Firefox for Mac OS X and Linux variants)
  • Adobe Flash 9+ browser plug-in for access to lecture videos
  • Support for MP3 audio playback
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader (for viewing PDF downloads)

You can use the (VTE Browser Check) to evaluate the capabilities of the computer you wish to use to access the course.
Get more information about the Virtual Training Environment (VTE) and the terms of use.
  • Recorded instruction presented by SEI instructors
  • 11 hours of video training sessions with transcripts
  • Exercises with solution guidance
  • Case studies for analysis and recommendation
  • Self-assessments following each module

This course is presented in the form of video-recorded training sessions that were presented by SEI instructors to a classroom of students representing a variety of industries. Learn more about the instructors here.
Exercises and case studies included with the course explore and reinforce the concepts taught and how they can be successfully applied. Exercise solution guidance supports this independent learning experience.
Self-assessments following each module assist in the learner's thorough comprehension of specific subject matter.