Perfect algorithms and high-quality software are important building blocks for an IT landscape. However, it is the role of enterprise architects, IT and solution architects, and software architects to ensure that the building blocks fit together and that software is developed such maintenance work and feature extensions are possible with a sensible amount of time and effort. My various articles, blog posts, and videos share some insights I gained in more than 14 years…
An often overlooked topic is standard software for a limited number of customers (solutions): When various software emerge and these versions are not managed adequately, there are no economies of scale for the software vendor. The article Information System Maintenance Costs: The „In-between“ Challenge provides details.
This video also provides background information and details on these challenges.
When an IT Organization implements new software, there are various pitfalls which result in unnecessary high costs for running and maintaining the software. This video explains you the details.
A topic more relevant for software architect is the implementation of upgrades for applications which rely on a database storing their data. The article On the Implementation and Correctness of Information System Upgrades provides insights. A more testing-oriented and shorter article is the following: Release Upgrades for Database-Driven Applications: A Quality Assurance Perspective.
Furthermore, I wrote articles on architectural topics on my LinkedIn blog (in German):
- Von IT-Architekturen und IT-Architekten
- Digitale Strategien und ihr Verhältnis zur IT-Strategie
- Die Frage nach dem “Make or Buy” bei Software
- Wie die Unternehmensstrategie die IT-Strategie beeinflusst
- Was ist eine IT-Strategie?
- Standardsoftware evaluieren und auswählen
- Wie die Digitalisierung die IT-Abteilungen verändert
- Neue Deployment-Konzepte: Von Kanarienvögeln und Experimenten mit Usern
- Das Ende des IT-Helpdesks? Wie neue Konzepte den Support verändern.
- Adressatengerechte Prozessmodellierung
- Requirements Engineering und Businessanalyse
- IT-Servicedesign: Die Basics
- IT-Services und ihre Charakteristiken
- Target Operating Modelle in IT-Abteilungen und für IT-Services