Think to the future
Technical strategy has just as much to do with looking to the future as it does solving an architectural puzzle. An appropriate solution can only be determined by taking a holistic approach that considers business strategy, enterprise architecture and the needs of users. Design by contract, not convenience.
Prove architecture early
Architecture incorporates everything from domain modelling to network topology, and from systems architecture to performance planning. For these things and everything in between, we must make sure to undertake architectural discovery, and to test early and often. Theory is all well and good, but if it isn’t fit for practical purposes, we must adapt.
Consider ROI
For all but the simplest of systems, constraints on time or budget can mean that an ideal architectural approach isn't feasible. For example, sometimes it’s simply not practical to have a central source of truth for your data, or to have the latest changes to all parts of that data available in real-time everywhere. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, as long as any limitations are documented, understood, and anticipated.
