Solution architecture lifecycle
On this page 9 topics
Overview
Topics
- Discovery
- options
- design
- review
- delivery
- transition
Learn first
3 h of practice (estimate)
Learning outcomes
- Describe the solution architecture lifecycle: discovery, options, design, review, delivery support, transition, and handover.
- Define the exit criteria and deliverables for each stage.
- Support delivery teams during build without becoming a bottleneck (design authority, decision log, office hours).
- Hand a solution over to operations and the owning teams.
Lessons
Lab and exercises
Lab
ARC-006-LAB1 · Architecture plan
Outcomes: 1–4 · Time: ~3 h
- Start from a given Larkspur program plan (phases, teams, milestones).
- Lay out the lifecycle stages with deliverables and exit criteria per stage.
- Place reviews and name a decision-maker for each.
- Define the delivery-support model: design authority scope, decision log format, office hours.
- Add transition and handover tasks with acceptance criteria.
Acceptance: aligned with the program plan; every review has a decision-maker.
Exercises (case-based; six exercises)
| ID | Outcome | Task |
|---|---|---|
| ARC-006-EX01 | 1 | Draw the seven-stage lifecycle for Larkspur and mark the decision at the end of each stage. |
| ARC-006-EX02 | 2 | Write exit criteria and deliverables for discovery, options, and design. |
| ARC-006-EX03 | 2 | A review is scheduled with no named decision-maker. Explain the risk and fix the schedule. |
| ARC-006-EX04 | 3 | Three teams complain that waiting for architect approval slows them. Redesign the support model. |
| ARC-006-EX05 | 3 | Write a decision-log entry for choosing near-real-time inventory events. |
| ARC-006-EX06 | 4 | Write a handover checklist and acceptance criteria for the operations team. |
Show solutions
- EX01 Discovery → baseline signed; options → option chosen; design → target architecture drafted; review → approval; delivery support → continuous guidance; transition → cutover complete; handover → operations accepts.
- EX02 Discovery: signed baseline. Options: compared options paper and recommendation. Design: approved target architecture and risks with conditions.
- EX03 An undecided review produces opinions and not approval; name the decision-maker (design authority chair or sponsor) and the decision options.
- EX04 Define guardrails, which changes need approval (interfaces, data ownership, quality targets), a two-day response target, scheduled office hours, and delegation within guardrails.
- EX05 Record: context (stock accuracy, ERP limits), decision (event-based inventory service with nightly reconciliation), alternatives, consequences, owner, date.
- EX06 Documentation, dashboards, alerts, runbooks, on-call ownership, access, open risks, rollback plan; acceptance signed by operations and owning teams.
Workplace evidence: a solution you took from discovery through handover.
Quiz
Outcomes: O1 lifecycle stages · O2 exit criteria and deliverables · O3 supporting delivery · O4 handover.
A self-check for you: nothing is graded, saved or sent anywhere. Choose an answer, then check it. You can try again as often as you like.
Practical part
Plan review of the lab architecture work plan and exercises ARC-006-EX01 to EX06. Pass: quiz at least 8/10, at least five of six exercises correct, and a plan aligned to the program with a decision-maker for every review.
Common mistakes
Disappearing after the design is approved; designing the whole solution before any delivery feedback.
Assessment
Plan review.
Workplace evidence
A solution you took from discovery through handover.
Career relevance
Solution roadmaps (ARC-036) and architecture assurance (ARC-042).