Architecture: Design

It is also critical to define the boundary between the

system and its environment early in the development cycle.

While the requirements should clearly state what this

boundary is, the architect must define the behavior of the

system at its boundaries. This includes the system’s inter-

action with users, with hardware, with the platform, and

with other systems. Sometimes the architect is also respon-

sible for selecting external software, especially in cases

where third-party software is to be encapsulated in the

system.