architectural-proposals

Architectural proposals articulate problems and proposed solutions in a review-ready format. They define a consistent structure for problem statements, proposed architecture, scope, and decisions to prevent costly rework before code is written.

An architectural proposal should include a Problem Statement, Proposed Architecture, What Changes, Risks and Mitigations, and explicit decision owners. This structure ensures traceability across project waves and milestones during cross-team initiatives.

You need an architectural proposal when seeking early alignment on product direction, system design, or cross-team initiatives. Drafting proposals before implementation begins helps document rationale, map decisions to milestones, and prevent expensive rework.

Manage risks in architecture decision documents by explicitly listing risks, mitigations, and trade-offs within the proposal structure. This risk-aware planning supports governance by ensuring potential issues are documented alongside the proposed architecture.

Yes, you can map architectural decisions to project waves and milestones. This ensures traceability by aligning the decision framework with specific phases, helping teams track when changes occur and who owns each decision throughout the lifecycle.