architecture-design

name

architecture-design

description

How to create ASPICE-compliant system and software architecture documents. Use this skill when designing system architecture (SYS.3), software architecture (SWE.2), or detailed design (SWE.3). Also use when allocating requirements to architectural elements, defining interfaces, describing dynamic behaviour with Mermaid diagrams, evaluating alternative architectures, defining resource consumption objectives, or creating Doorstop SYSARCH/SWARCH/SWDD traceability items. Consult this whenever you see WP 04-06 (system arch), WP 04-04 (SW arch), or WP 04-05 (detailed design).

Architecture and Design for ASPICE

Architecture Documents vs Doorstop Items

ASPICE architecture work products (WP 04-06, 04-04, 04-05) are documents — coherent descriptions with diagrams, rationale, and narrative. They live in artifacts/WP_04-06_*.md, artifacts/WP_04-04_*.md, artifacts/WP_04-05_*.md.

Doorstop items (SYSARCH, SWARCH, SWDD) are traceability anchors — lightweight entries that enable Doorstop's automated link-checking to verify requirement->architecture->design->code chains. Each Doorstop item should contain a brief description and reference the corresponding section of the architecture document.

The real architecture is the Markdown WP. The Doorstop item is an index entry that makes the architecture traceable.

Required Sections (Summary)

All architecture documents must include:

1. Context and boundaries (Mermaid context diagram)
2. Architectural elements table with stable IDs
3. Requirement allocation matrix
4. Interface definitions (protocols, data formats, timing)
5. Dynamic behaviour (sequence/state diagrams)
6. Alternative evaluation (at least one alternative with rationale)
7. Traceability and consistency statement

WP 04-04 (SW arch) adds: resource consumption objectives, layering. WP 04-05 (detailed design) adds: per-component algorithms, unit interfaces, code mapping via unit_file.

Detailed References

• For detailed required sections for WP 04-06, 04-04, and 04-05 including Doorstop item examples, read references/architecture-sections.md.
• For Mermaid diagram guidance, alternatives evaluation template, and technology adaptation table, read references/patterns.md.