Software Engineering

16.3.2 
Assess architectural consequences
Every proposed change will affect the stability of the architecture by the intro-
duction of new design elements or mechanisms into an existing architectural 
framework. Changes promoted early in the software engineering effort may not 
experience as significant repercussions as those considered later in the develop-
ment schedule. Determining the architectural consequences of adopting a proposed 
change involves comprehending the pervasiveness of the change in terms of the 
architectural elements affected by the modification. Every architectural element 
associated with or tightly coupled with elements directly impacted by modification 
must be discerned. Elements that may be disturbed by the change will require atten-
tion to comprehend the far-reaching impact of the proposed alteration.
The following arguments should be considered when assessing the technical 
merits of a proposed modification to the software architecture:
1. 
How 
invasively
 will the change extend throughout the software architecture?
2. 
What is the 
collective magnitude
 of the architectural modifications?
3. 
What are the architectural 
ramifications
 associated with the proposed 
modifications?