Towards Architecture Topologies for Sustainable Fast Flow of Change (NewCrafts 2024)

In this talk, I discuss a concept I have been working on called "Architecture Topologies" (https://esilva.net/architecture-topologies), a set of thinking models and practices to help orgs understand and improve their approaches to architecture. Having explicit language to do that is essential so organizations can achieve a more sustainable flow of change and better respond to their environment.

During the talk, I will introduce the basic ideas and discuss some interesting architecture topologies, such as "Architecture as an Enabling Team", "Anybody Architects" or “Architecture Modernization Enabling Teams” (AMETs). I will also show how bol.com, the largest online retailer in the Netherlands and Belgium, has evolved its architecture topologies over the last two decades. Through that journey, we will see how it is crucial for organizations to continuously adapt their organizational structures and topologies, their approaches to architecture, and their ways of working to effectively and sustainably respond to their changing environment.

By being more explicit on how to approach architecture and embracing its continuous evolution, modern organizations can become more equipped to achieve a sustainable and fast flow of change and cope with their increasing demands.

Transcript

1. Towards Architecture Topologies for Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Eduardo da Silva, PhD Independent consultant on sociotechnical systems, architecture & leadership modernization (esilva.net consulting | eduardo@esilva.net) NewCrafts, 2024/05/16
2. Towards Architecture Topologies for Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Eduardo da Silva, PhD Independent consultant on sociotechnical systems, architecture & leadership modernization (esilva.net consulting | eduardo@esilva.net) NewCrafts, 2024/05/16 Ability to respond fast & sustainably to the environment
3. esilva.net 3 Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash
4. esilva.net 4 Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash Learning: “learning about the problems & opportunities in the environment”
5. esilva.net 5 Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash Learning: “learning about the problems & opportunities in the environment” Designing: “explore and design options to address the problem or opportunity”
6. esilva.net 6 Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash Learning: “learning about the problems & opportunities in the environment” Designing: “explore and design options to address the problem or opportunity” Decision-Making: “decide on designs and take action to make things happen”
7. esilva.net ‼ Modern orgs that are not nurturing conditions for sustainable Learning, designing and decision-making will struggle to respond to their environment 7 Photo by Cole Patrick on Unsplash Learning: “learning about the problems & opportunities in the environment” Designing: “explore and design options to address the problem or opportunity” Decision-Making: “decide on designs and take action to make things happen”
8. esilva.net In our lives, we are continuously Learning, designing and deciding …to respond to unexpected events 8
9. esilva.net 9
10. esilva.net Strange burning smell… 10
11. esilva.net 11 Learning…
12. esilva.net 12 Designing & Deciding…
13. esilva.net 13 Learning…
14. esilva.net 14 Designing & Deciding…
15. esilva.net 15 4:32 AM (first coffee)
16. esilva.net 16
17. esilva.net 17
18. esilva.net 18 9:14 AM (workshop starts at 9:30)
19. esilva.net 19 I made it (~20 min late)
20. esilva.net 20
21. esilva.net 21 Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash
22. esilva.net 22 💡Move towards org cultures, structures and incentives that allow us (particular people close to problems) to navigate and respond to the uncertain & fast changing environments we “live in” Photo by Ronaldo de Oliveira on Unsplash
23. esilva.net 🎯 Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Operating Models 🌳 23 Sociotechnical Systems Evolution & Architecture, Eduardo da Silva
24. esilva.net 🎯 Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Operating Models 🌳 24 Sociotechnical Systems Evolution & Architecture, Eduardo da Silva Learning Designing Decision- making
25. esilva.net 🎯 Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Operating Models 🌳 25 Sociotechnical Systems Evolution & Architecture, Eduardo da Silva Learning Designing Decision- making 🎯We want to continuously go fast & sustainably over this “cycle” (from ideas to value in front of the customer)
26. esilva.net 🎯 Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Operating Models 🌳 26 Sociotechnical Systems Evolution & Architecture, Eduardo da Silva Learning Designing Decision- making 🎯We want to continuously go fast & sustainably over this “cycle” (from ideas to value in front of the customer) How can we do that?
27. esilva.net 🎯 Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Operating Models 🌳 27 Sociotechnical Systems Evolution & Architecture, Eduardo da Silva “Language” to help us discuss how we organize and evolve our teams (& org) to support sustainable fast flow of change Learning Designing Decision- making
28. esilva.net ❓But, how are we understanding, discussing and improving our approaches to architecture (Learning, Designing and Decision-making)? 28 In the teams Across teams Across the org
29. esilva.net Architecture Topologies 🎯 Thinking models and practices to understand and evolve the approach to Architecture (Learning, Designing and Decision-making) in the different scopes of the organization 🔗 esilva.net/architecture-topologies 29
30. esilva.net “Language” to help us discuss how we understand and improve our approach to architecture to support sustainable fast flow of change Architecture Topologies ❤ Team Topologies 30 Learning Designing Decision- making “Language” to help us discuss how we organize and evolve our teams (& org) to support sustainable fast flow of change …towards a Sustainable Fast Flow of Change Operating Models
31. esilva.net Architecture Topologies (ATs) Map 31 💡 example of visualization we can use to discuss & understand existing approaches and points for improvement ℹ this is just one example of visualization, we can use other practices, such as Team Topologies Interaction Models, and other things
32. esilva.net Architecture Topologies (ATs) Map 32 Maturity of Architecture Capability
33. esilva.net 33 *Would you like architects with your architecture? | images credits: Gregor Hohpe Some Categories of Approaches to Architecture* (Stefan Toth) 💡this is a gradual evolution… which will take years to develop, and will vary from team to team (Architecture Capability for Sustainable Fast Flow of Change) 💡does not mean there is no clear ownership!
34. esilva.net ❓what about “architecture” across teams, or across the org? 34 In the teams Across teams Across the org
35. esilva.net Architecture Topologies (ATs) Map 35 How are we approaching Architecture on the different scopes of the org (and across them)?
36. esilva.net Architecture Topologies (ATs) Map 36 💡We use this together with people involved in these different scopes, to understand and identify opportunities to improve our approach to architecture?
37. esilva.net Architecture Topologies (ATs) Map 37 ⚠Architecture from outside the scope Architecture Approach
38. esilva.net Architecture Topologies (ATs) Map 38 ⚠Architecture from outside the scope Architecture Approach Learning Designing Decision-making “learning about the problems & opportunities in the environment” “explore and design options to address the problem or opportunity” “decide on designs and take action to make things happen”
39. esilva.net 39 Architecture Approach Learning Designing Decision-making ℹ example of a mapping from a big org, with many teams and architects working with multiple teams
40. esilva.net 40 Architecture Approach Learning Designing Decision-making 💡different parts of the same organization have different ways of approaching architecture… and different challenges
41. esilva.net 41 Architecture Approach Learning Designing Decision-making Outcome of this collaborative mapping: ⇢ Identification of important constraints 🚫 After this, we can: ⇢ Explore options to address constraints 📈 ⇢ Define how to continue doing this 🔁
42. esilva.net …having ways of improving how we approach Architecture is key… as it is/should be changing, as things in and around the company are changing 42
43. esilva.net 43 bol.com 1999 - 2019
44. esilva.net 44 bol.com 1999 - 2019 🧐 I joined the company in 2017. A year of interesting product releases… 📚🍻👠
45. esilva.net 45 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Prod & Events Tech Org (& Way of Work) bol.com 1999 - 2019 (Org + Tech + Architecture evolution) Arch.
46. esilva.net 46 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Phase 1 (1999 - ~2010): Waterfall, monoliths & centralized arch Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Prod & Events
47. esilva.net 47 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Phase 1 (1999 - ~2010): Waterfall, monoliths & centralized arch Arch. Centralized (by Architects) ⚠ “need for scaling” Prod & Events
48. esilva.net 48 Architects doing all the design & decision making
49. esilva.net 49 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Phase 1 (1999 - ~2010): Waterfall, monoliths & centralized arch Arch. Centralized (by Architects) ⚠ “need for scaling” Prod & Events
50. esilva.net 50 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~10 Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2018): Autonomous Teams Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs “need for scaling” Prod & Events ⭐ these are structural changes - org + tech + arch, it is not just introducing yet another process!
51. esilva.net 51 Architecture in teams done by the teams; architects doing architecture around teams
52. esilva.net 52 Architecture in teams done by the teams; architects doing architecture around teams
53. esilva.net 53 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~10 Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2018): Autonomous Teams Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs “need for scaling” Prod & Events
54. esilva.net 54 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~10 Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2018): Autonomous Teams Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs “need for scaling” Teams capable of iterating quickly on their scope Prod & Events
55. esilva.net 55 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~10 Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2018): Autonomous Teams Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs “need for scaling” Teams capable of iterating quickly on their scope Able to deploy quickly and independently Prod & Events
56. esilva.net 56 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~10 Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2018): Autonomous Teams Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs “need for scaling” Teams capable of iterating quickly on their scope Able to deploy quickly and independently Teams able to design and decide things on their scope Prod & Events
57. esilva.net 57 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~10 Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2018): Autonomous Teams Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs “need for scaling” Many teams Prod & Tech Silos Prod & Events
58. esilva.net 58 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~10 Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2018): Autonomous Teams Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs “need for scaling” Many teams Prod & Tech Silos Organic net of Microservices Prod & Events
59. esilva.net 59 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~10 Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2018): Autonomous Teams Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Archs “need for scaling” Many teams Prod & Tech Silos Organic net of Microservices Architects overwhelmed “keeping things together around teams” Prod & Events
60. esilva.net 60 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~100 ~10 ~600 Phase 2 (~2010 - ~2018): Autonomous Teams Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Architects (anything around teams) ⚠ ⚠ ⚠ ⚠ “need for sustainable fast flow of change” Prod & Events
61. esilva.net 61 Architects managing a lot of the “things” around the teams & teams being “islands”
62. esilva.net • Team scope has all disciplines needed (⭐including “product” and “tech” => NO SILOS!) • Product scope groups teams working on related value streams (e.g., Inspire to Buy has Recommendation and Search Teams), with Enabling Product Leadership Improving Organization Structure & Architecture 62 Product Taxonomy, Ross Clanton, Amy Walters, Jason Zubrick, Pat Birkeland, Mik Kersten, Alan Nance, and Anders Wallgren
63. esilva.net 63 Teams owning architecture on their scope with clearer alignment to the multi-team scope they are part of (with Enabling Architects, PMs & EMs)
64. esilva.net 64 Teams owning architecture on their scope with clearer alignment to the multi-team scope they are part of (with Enabling Architects, PMs & EMs)
65. esilva.net 65 Teams owning architecture on their scope with clearer alignment to the multi-team scope they are part of (with Enabling Architects, PMs & EMs) 💡“Architecture as Enabling Team”
66. esilva.net 66 Tech Arch Org (& Way of Work) Monoliths Products Tech Org (& Way of Work) Waterfall Agile Product Teams DevOps Teams (Micro)services ~30 ~100 ~10 ~600 ~50 Phase 3 (~2017 - ??): Product organization Arch. Centralized (by Architects) Teams + Architects (anything around teams) Teams (+ Enabling Product Architects) “need for sustainable fast flow of change” Prod & Events
67. esilva.net Products Waterfall Agile Product Teams DevOps Teams ~30 ~100 bol.com 1999 - 2019 67 “need for scaling” “sustainable fast flow of change” 💡change is continuous and takes time and support from leadership
68. esilva.net 68 ⭐ Our business changes, and so is the way we organize our teams and systems and how we approach architecture (learning, designing and decision-making)
69. esilva.net 69 ⚠ Change & Uncertainty will not stop ✅ Embrace it, and make sure you evolve your organization structures & approach Architecture to address that (▶ Sustainable Fast Flow Operating models) Photo by Ronaldo de Oliveira on Unsplash
70. esilva.net Thank you! Eduardo da Silva, PhD Independent consultant on sociotechnical systems, architecture & leadership modernization Team Topologies Valued Practitioner (TTVP) # esilva.net consulting # eduardo@esilva.net | emgsilva esilva.net/products ⬇ ℹmore products coming soon ℹthe topic of this talk is covered in these workshops & sessions: https://esilva.net/products/effe ctive-architecture-topologies https://academy.teamtopologies.com/ courses/effective-enabling-teams