System Architecture & Design

System architecture defines the structural design, interfaces, and behaviour of complex software systems. A Chief Technology Officer must design architectures that align with the organisation's communication structures, support business scale, and remain flexible enough to absorb technological changes.

Here are the key architecture and design topics:

• Architectural Decision Records (ADRs): Documenting and communicating technical decisions.
• C4 Diagrams: Visualising software architecture across different abstraction levels.
• CQRS Pattern: Command Query Responsibility Segregation for high-performance systems.
• Event-Driven Architecture (EDA): Designing decoupled, asynchronous systems.
• CAP Theorem: Understanding trade-offs in distributed systems.
• Scaling Systems: Horizontal and vertical scaling strategies.
• Technical Debt: Identifying, measuring, and managing architectural debt.
• API & Web Architecture: Restful API designs and HATEOAS.
• Networking & Protocols: Fundamental networking concepts, exponential backoff, and Internet of Things (IoT).
• Data Architectures: Lakehouse patterns and data quality metrics.