Artifact:  Design Guidelines

Design Guidelines	Describes the design and implementation guidelines.
Role:	Software Architect
Template:	Word Template HTML Template
More Information:	Checkpoints:Design Guidelines
Purpose Brief Outline Timing Responsibility Tailoring Annotated Outline (hyperlinks into HTML template in a new window)

Input to Activities: Structure the Implementation Model Identify Design Elements Incorporate Existing Design Elements Review the Architecture Database Design Review the Design Class Design Subsystem Design Implement Component Perform Unit Tests Plan Test Implement Test Launch Development Case Compile Software Development Plan Architectural Analysis Develop Design Guidelines Identify Design Mechanisms

Output from Activities: Architectural Analysis Develop Design Guidelines Identify Design Mechanisms

Purpose

Design Guidelines is a product of architecture definition. Many people will need this document because it describes the guidelines to be followed during design, architectural design, and implementation.

• It is an artifact created and maintained by the software architect, and serves as a communication medium between the software architect and other developers.
• Designers will use it as a reference when defining operations on design classes, and when adjusting design classes to the implementation environment.
• Package owners will use it as a reference when describing dependencies between packages.
• Implementers will use it as a reference when implementing design classes.
• Reviewers will use it as a reference when reviewing the software architecture, design model, and implementation model. This resolves a lot of debate regarding the quality of the artifacts produced.
• Newcomers to the project will use it to understand what is being produced.

An important input when this document is created is a specification of the implementation environment. Examples of things that should be specified are target platform (hardware, operating system), window system, screens, development tools (language, GUI builder), database management system, and component libraries.

Brief Outline

(hyperlinks into HTML template in a new window)

1.       Introduction         

    1.1     Purpose     

    1.2     Scope     

    1.3     Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations     

    1.4     References     

    1.5     Overview     

2.       General Design and Implementation Guidelines     

3.       Database Design Guidelines     

4.       Architectural Design Guidelines     

5.       Mechanism Guidelines    

Timing

The Design Guidelines are developed early in the Elaboration Phase prior to the start of significant design work.

Responsibility

A Software Architect is responsible for producing the Design Guidelines document.

Tailoring

You should adjust the outline of the Design Guidelines document for these reasons:

• Some of the General Design and Implementation Guidelines may be irrelevant for your project.
• You may need additional sections and appendices to describe how to handle any mechanisms that are not handled here.
• The order of the various sections may vary, depending on the system's stakeholders and their focus or interest.

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