Software architecture
Software architecture and technical framing
I design and review application architectures that match your real team, timeline and operations constraints. You get a reasoned target split into deliverable stages, not a two-hundred-page document.
What it covers
An architecture is judged on what it makes possible: shipping without breaking what exists, changing a business rule without rewriting three services, diagnosing an incident without waking four teams. I always start from your actual constraints: team size and maturity, service commitments, regulatory requirements, operating budget and the projects already in flight.
The engagement opens with a factual assessment: component map, data actually exchanged, coupling points, technical debt and incidents from the last twelve months. Together we identify the domain boundaries that deliver measurable value, then decide on an architectural style: modular monolith, services split by business capability, or a hybrid approach with a shared foundation.
Decisions written down, not opinions
Every choice is recorded with its context, the options studied and the consequences accepted. An architecture that does not explain its trade-offs becomes unmaintainable as soon as the team changes, so the architecture record is written for the next developer rather than for the review meeting.
- Domain and flow mapping with coupling indicators.
- Architecture decisions recorded as context, options, decision and consequences.
- Versioned interface contracts between modules and services.
- An implementation roadmap delivered in shippable increments, never a big bang.
- Testing and monitoring strategy attached to each component.
Problems addressed
Your monolith turns every change into a round of regressions. Teams block each other on a single codebase. Nobody remembers why a structural decision was made. Performance degrades with no component clearly accountable. New business requirements take weeks of coordination.
Expected benefits
A technical target that developers and management can both follow. Explicit trade-offs: what you gain and what you accept losing. A decomposition that reduces dependencies between teams. An incremental roadmap that the current team can execute. Objective criteria for arbitrating future change requests. Reusable material for your internal reviews and tenders.
Method and steps
- 1
Assessment
Two to three weeks reading the existing system: components, flows, dependencies, debt, weak points and the true cost of maintenance.
- 2
Requirement framing
Workshops with business teams to identify domain capabilities, load requirements and the compliance constraints to respect.
- 3
Target design
Definition of boundaries, interface contracts and technical foundation, compared against at least one alternative to make the trade-off tangible.
- 4
Roadmap and handover
Work split into deliverable increments, effort estimates, decision review with the teams and training on the key architecture points.
Deliverables
Architecture record with timestamped, justified decisions.
Component and flow map, also available online.
API contracts and exchanged event definitions.
Incremental implementation plan with risks and prerequisites.
Testing and monitoring strategy per component.
Two-hour restitution and knowledge transfer session.
Technologies used
- Java
- Spring Boot
- Angular
- PostgreSQL
- Apache Kafka
- Kubernetes
- OpenTelemetry
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to move to microservices?
No. In many cases a well-decomposed modular monolith gives the same team autonomy at a much lower operating cost. We compare both scenarios before deciding.
How long does this kind of engagement take?
Expect three to eight weeks depending on system size and team availability. An assessment alone can be delivered in two weeks if you want to establish the facts first.
Do you work with our internal architecture team?
Yes, and that is the most effective setup. I bring the material, the options and the documented trade-offs; your architects keep the final decision and remain owners of the system.
Related case studies
Incremental overhaul of a contract management monolith
Modernisation through domain extraction, with no service interruption
Demonstration sample - not a real client reference.
Request a discussion
Let us walk through your context in thirty minutes and check whether an architecture framing is useful now or whether a more targeted problem should be solved first.