architecture-kata

name	architecture-kata
description	Run an Architecture Kata (Ted Neward format) - prompt selection, timeboxed group design, rotation, and rubric-based scoring. Use for guild practice, hiring calibration, onboarding, or building shared trade-off vocabulary across an engineering org.

Architecture Kata

The kata gives architects deliberate practice on unfamiliar problems under time pressure, then exposes their reasoning to peer critique. It is the gym for trade-off thinking.

Stack Baseline (2026)

Concern	Recommended
Format origin	Ted Neward, neward.net/architecturalkatas
Group size	3-5 per team; 2-4 teams per session
Timebox	45 min design + 10 min present + 10 min Q&A per team
Modeling	C4 Context + Container; whiteboard or Excalidraw/Structurizr
Scoring	Rubric across functional fit, NFRs, risks, communication
Reference text	Richards & Ford, Fundamentals of Software Architecture 2e

When to Use

• Quarterly guild or chapter practice session.
• Onboarding a cohort of new senior engineers / architects.
• Hiring loop calibration so interviewers share a bar.
• Pre-launch dry run for a real upcoming design.

Prerequisites

• Facilitator + scribe + at least one experienced "judge".
• A pool of katas (3-5 prompts) with documented constraints and NFRs.
• Whiteboards / shared canvases per team; a visible timer.
• Published scoring rubric circulated beforehand.

Instructions

flowchart LR
  P[Pick prompt<br/>+ constraints] --> B[Brief teams<br/>5 min]
  B --> D[Design timebox<br/>45 min]
  D --> S[Present<br/>10 min/team]
  S --> Q[Q&A + judging<br/>10 min/team]
  Q --> R[Rotate prompts<br/>or roles]
  R --> RT[Retro + lessons]

1. Pick the prompt with explicit constraints (users, geography, regulatory, budget, timeline) and 3-5 NFR targets.
2. Brief all teams identically; clarify what is in-scope and what is fixed.
3. Design timebox (45 min): teams produce C4 Context + Container, key ADRs (3-5), and a risk list.
4. Present in 10 min: problem framing, design, top trade-offs, top risks.
5. Judge with the rubric; ask the "what would change your mind?" question every time.
6. Retro across teams: surface common misses (NFR neglect, pattern overreach, missing data design).

# Kata Prompt Template

## Problem
<one paragraph>

## Users & Scale
- Daily active users: ...
- Peak QPS: ...
- Geography: ...

## Constraints
- Regulatory: ...
- Budget / team size: ...
- Timeline: ...

## Quality Attribute Targets
- Availability: ...
- Latency p99: ...
- Durability: ...
- Security: ...

## Out of Scope
- ...

## Deliverables (45 min)
1. C4 Context + Container diagram
2. 3-5 ADRs (one-liners ok)
3. Top 5 risks with mitigations

# Scoring Rubric (1-5 per row)

| Dimension | Notes |
|---|---|
| Requirements understood | Clarifying questions, scope discipline |
| NFR coverage | Each target addressed with evidence |
| Pattern fit | Justified against drivers, not fashion |
| Data design | Access patterns, consistency, evolution |
| Failure modes | Bulkheads, timeouts, blast radius |
| Trade-off articulation | What rejected, why, revisit trigger |
| Communication | Diagram clarity, time management |

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall	Why it hurts	Fix
Vague prompt	Teams diverge on scope, can't compare	Fix constraints + NFR numbers up front
No timebox enforcement	Reviews drag, lessons lost	Visible timer; cut hard at the bell
Solo dominators	Group doesn't actually practice	Rotate scribe + presenter every kata
Beauty-contest judging	Style over substance	Use the rubric; require evidence per score
No retro	Same misses next quarter	20-min cross-team retro with named lessons
One-pattern teams	Reinforces Golden Hammer	Mix experience levels and tech backgrounds

Output Format

• A kata prompt pack (markdown) with constraints and NFRs.
• Per-team artifacts: C4 diagrams, mini-ADRs, risk list.
• Scored rubric sheets per team and per round.
• A retro doc capturing top 3 lessons and follow-up reading.

Authoritative References

• Ted Neward, Architecture Kata format — neward.net/architecturalkatas.
• Mark Richards & Neal Ford, Fundamentals of Software Architecture, 2e (O'Reilly, 2024).
• Mark Richards & Neal Ford, Software Architecture: The Hard Parts (O'Reilly).
• Simon Brown, c4model.com and Structurizr DSL.
• O'Reilly Software Architecture Conference / GOTO katas archives.
• ThoughtWorks Technology Radar — thoughtworks.com/radar.