Architecture Reviews
Overview
Architecture reviews evaluate whether a design is fit for the problem, team, and future change.
Why It Matters
Reviews prevent expensive mistakes before implementation locks them in.
Core Concepts
- Review the problem, not just the proposal.
- Compare alternatives.
- Make the trade-offs explicit.
Mental Models
Architecture reviews should reduce uncertainty, not just approve diagrams.
Best Practices
- Bring a decision, not just an idea.
- Include constraints and rejection reasons.
- Keep the scope bounded.
Common Mistakes
- Reviewing too late.
- Debating style instead of trade-offs.
- Ignoring operational impact.
Trade-offs
Reviews take time, but they can prevent much larger coordination and rework costs later.
Decision Framework
| Question | Review focus |
|---|---|
| What problem? | Real need |
| What options? | Alternatives |
| What risk? | Failure modes |
Examples
- Review a feature boundary before spreading logic across three layers.
Checklists
- Is the problem clear?
- Are alternatives compared?
- Are risks and reversibility documented?
Senior Engineer Notes
Senior engineers use architecture reviews to improve the quality of the decision, not to win arguments.