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Architecting in a Complex System Environment

Explore the fundamentals of complex IT systems using government examples. Learn about architecture frameworks, useful approaches to understanding complex systems, and the influence of factors in a complex environment. Discover the tools essential for a complex system architect and effective strategies for architecting in such environments.

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Architecting in a Complex System Environment

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  1. Architecting in a Complex System Environment John Hodgson & Phil PiperICT Architects

  2. The fundamentals of Complex IT System/s(Using Government systems examples) • Complex IT systems • What is a complex IT system? • Common Factors and Influences (within a Government environment). • A Systems of Systems view • Common Factors • Value and issues in identifying, analysing, designing and specifying IT systems in a complex environment. • Architecture Frameworks • Models and Zachman, DODAF, MODAF, AUSDAF and TOGAF Gordian knot. • Business, Systems, Services and Technology • Complex System Architect’s basic tool sets • Whiteboards, A3 sheets, Office, Visio, JPGs, System Architect, etc. • Useful approaches to understanding Complex Systems. • Useful approaches  to Architecting Systems in a complex environment.

  3. Complex I.T. systems • What is a complex IT system? • More than three subsystems.. • Multiple business process engagement • Significant data exchanges • Significant human interactions within the systems • How do you recognise this? • Different governance regimes evident • High frequency of change • Multiple data exchange methods • Complexity behaviours

  4. An Alternate View of Complexity • What is a complex IT system? • A complex system is one that exhibits emergent behaviour. • Emergent Behaviour is behaviour that was not predicted from the sum of the functions of the parts. • For example, the World Wide Web is a “small-world network”. Ie, the number of hops between two nodes increases in proportion to the log of the number of nodes. That was not “designed-in” or predicted by the designers. • Emergent behaviour is often negative. We call this “bugs”. • So, system collections are complex when they start exhibiting bugs that are the result of interactions between the systems. These can be very difficult to diagnose.

  5. Dept of Defence

  6. Dept of Defence(same information)

  7. Defence – ERP Interfaces

  8. Interfaces – How Many Are There? 2N > N(N-1) How can that be? For N systems, the worst case is N(N-1) What we would like is at most, 2N We can evolve a complex set of systems towards 2N by applying enterprise architecture patterns like SOA.

  9. Systems of Systems • Complex systems are typically system of systems • Multiple layers of systems • Architects are often tasked with only a subset of this – Focus

  10. Common Factors • Teaming is a necessity • No single source of truth • Fragmentation of design, projects and support • Documentation is always poor • Abstraction is essential • Architects become valued as complexity increases

  11. Complex Systems are influenced by many factors e.g. Defence Warehouse Mobile Environment

  12. Architecture Frameworks • Framework v’s Architectural process • TOGAF • ZACHMAN • DODAF, MODAF and AUSTDAF • “Common language” for architects • Rarely exactly accurate • Most can be correlate to each other

  13. Zachman (Circa 1990)

  14. TOGAF(Open Systems Group)

  15. DODAF V2

  16. MODAF

  17. AUSDAF

  18. Basic tool sets for complex system architect’s • Whiteboarding • Print copies, photos, coloured pens • Integrated project teams, working groups, team reviews • A3 sketch pads • MS Office, Adobe Acrobat • Visio and JPGs • System Architect & Enterprise Architect • Above all, an inquisitive mind and some affront to ask questions

  19. External Imposed Policies & controls

  20. Technical and Threat Risk Assessment Assessment Processes Risk Sources

  21. Threat / Technical Risk Assessments (Aust / ISO Standards) • Detailed Identified Risk Calculations • (Add/Remove Information where required along with Risk Forms. Comments can be made in any field to enhance or better explain the rating.) Table R01 – Loss of services due to loss of communications

  22. Useful approaches to understanding Complex Systems • Start at the top - the Enterprise’s Business Objectives • Document visually and ask for comments • Identify the Executive’s direction of change • Document (or find) the objectives • Identify the Enterprise “modus operandi” • Develop (or find) an outline Concept of Operations (or Concept of Business) • How should the business be working? • How is it actually working? • Strategic, Tactical and Immediate objectives • Lean from those who have gone before • Look for historic and previous efforts • Ask for the war stories, but don’t accept as gospel • Where have the greatest changes occurred so far in the Enterprise? Why? • Look for “change levers” • Small investments - large impacts • Be patient • Enterprises take time to change • Both human and external factors rarely allow for “Engineering Discipline” • But it doesn’t hurt to bring some skills to bear. • Draw and Write for your audience • Who reads the Plumbing Specs for a new Building? • Prof Julius Somner-Miller (circa 1970s) • Always ask - WHY is it so?”

  23. Time for Questions And thanks for listening…

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