Let's Learn to Identify Technical Requirements for Better Design

Learn to identify and analyze non-functional requirements (NFRs) to create better software architectures that align with actual business needs rather than falling into overengineering traps. Explore common scenarios where stated requirements like "24/7 availability" or "100% uptime" don't match real-world needs, and discover how to navigate the gap between what clients say they want and what they actually require. Examine two fictional case studies that demonstrate practical approaches to requirement gathering and architectural decision-making. Master techniques for uncovering implicit NFRs that often go unstated but are crucial for successful system design. Develop skills to distinguish between genuine technical requirements and aspirational statements that can lead to unnecessary complexity and cost. Gain insights into establishing pragmatic architectural approaches that deliver appropriate solutions for specific business contexts while avoiding both under-engineering and over-engineering pitfalls.

Syllabus

Have you ever heard phrases like 'it must work 24/7,' 'I want 100% availability,' only to end up with 'in reality, a VM will be more than sufficient'? Or conversely, 'No SLA, my platform is not critical, it just needs to run precisely at 6:54 AM on the first day of the month'? If these situations sound familiar, don't miss out! Whether these Non-Functional Requirements are explicit or not, they are the keystone of any architecture aligned with client needs. Drawing on two fictional examples any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental, or maybe not, we will explore how to navigate the pitfalls of overengineering and establish a pragmatic approach to identifying the right architecture for the right business need. By the end of this presentation, we'll know how to identify those elusive NFRs that will help us design better architectures while avoiding unnecessary complexity!