Nothing like an early morning when someone asks you to have an architecture diagram for the systems by the end of the day. What exactly do you want? Well, I want the “squares” thing you usually show.

The thing starts by showing the old diagrams to see which one they want, then negotiating which one will fit and then changing it to the one gives the vibes the seeker looks for. There is no “one diagram” that shows everything, there will never be “one architecture” for all. It is about what details one wants to see, the viewpoint. Let’s not indulge on what defines the logical architecture and the physical one.

Maybe the diagram is what sticks together the role of the architect. Everyone wants to see his squares and how his square is related to other squares. It is becoming a square-mania with colors and annotations.

Going back to the request. If you don’t follow with your stakeholder, you will eventually have something wrong to present. It will either be more detailed or not the thing they want. So, unless you show it in stages then it will eventually be rejected to spend extra hours after your work rushing and have something ready. And by the end of the day, you will have the squares to be used once and never to be mentioned again.