The need for Software Architecture

To accommodate system complexities in the world of distributed processing, Architects have three new needs:

1. First, architects need the ability to separate complex concerns, in particular to separate concerns about business-application functionality, from concerns about distributed-system complexity.
   
   1. Problems and challenges of distributed computing have nothing to do fundamentally with business-application functionality.
      
   2. In a typical application, 70% of application code is infrastructure. Some of this code is unique to the application even though it might not directly address business requirements. By separating concerns, developers can focus on the business functionality that is the true purpose of the information system.
      
2. Software architects also need the ability to future-proof the information systems that they are planning.
   
   1. It is important to accommodate commercial technology evolution, which is known to be accelerating and provides substantial challenges for architects and developers.
      
   2. Future-proofing also requires the ability to adapt to new user requirements, since requirements do change frequently and account for a majority of system software costs over the life cycle.
      
   3. It is important to plan information systems to support the likely and inevitable changes that users will require in order to conduct business.
      
3. A third need for software architects is the ability to increase the likelihood of system success.
   
   1. Corporate developers to date have had a very poor track record of creating successful systems.
      
   2. The software architect is responsible for planning systems with the maximum probability of delivering success and key benefits for the business.
      
   3. Through proper information technology planning, it is possible to increase the likelihood of system delivery on time and on budget.