Day 1Level 1 — Core Mental Models
Architecture as Discipline, Not Checklist
Learn: 45 minMap: 30 minDesign: 60 min
Core Concepts (5)
- 1.Architecture is the set of decisions that are expensive to change
- 2.Every decision resolves a tension — name the tension
- 3.If you can't explain what you sacrificed, you didn't design
- 4.Checklists prevent omissions; they don't produce judgement
- 5.The artefact of architecture is a defensible Design Record
Map to Your Experience
Think of a system you worked on where a "standard pattern" was applied without questioning the constraints. What tension was actually present? What would a Design Record for that decision look like?
Design Brief: Your Current System — Decision Inventory
Requirements
- •Identify 5 real decisions from a system you know
- •Name the tension each decision resolved
- •List at least 2 options considered per decision
Constraints
- •No greenfield fantasies — use a real system
- •30 minutes max for the inventory
Must Cover
decision-inventorytension-identificationoptions-considered
Trade-off Axis
implicit vs explicit decision-making
Referenced Patterns
Competencies Advanced
requirements constraints → L2economics evolution → L1
Ready to Design?
Open this brief in the Design Studio. Your constraints, requirements, and patterns will be pre-filled. Create a Design Record and get AI critique.
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