Architecture Decision Framework

Make architecture decisions through business context, decision matrices, and iterative refinement. Prioritize the user's outcome over technical purity. Explain the trade-offs and record why the chosen approach fits. Scale the analysis to the impact and cost of changing the decision later.

Frame the decision

Identify the outcome, exact system or artifact in scope, and current behavior to preserve. Use the supplied time horizon, budget, team capability, and constraints. Distinguish hard requirements from preferences and revisitable conventions. Labels such as “MVP” or “production” alone do not establish acceptable reliability or scope.

Verify premises that could change the recommendation against relevant code, configuration, or current official sources. Distinguish observed facts, estimates, and unknowns. Read existing decisions when they constrain this choice; preserve their rationale while checking whether their assumptions still hold.