Editing Software architecture (section)

== Motivation ==
Software architecture is an "intellectually graspable" abstraction of a complex system.<ref name="SAP2"/>{{rp|5–6}} This abstraction provides a number of benefits:
* ''It gives a basis for analysis of software systems' behavior before the system has been built.''<ref name="PERRY1992"/> The ability to verify that a future software system fulfills its stakeholders' needs without actually having to build it represents substantial cost-saving and risk-mitigation.<ref name="SARA">{{cite web| first1 = H. | last1 = Obbink
 | last2 = Kruchten| first2 = P.
 | last3 = Kozaczynski| first3 = W.
 | last4 = Postema | first4 = H.
 | last5 = Ran| first5 = A.
 | last6 = Dominick| first6 = L.
 | last7 = Kazman| first7 = R.
| last8 = Hilliard| first8 = R.
| last9 = Tracz| first9 = W.
 | last10 = Kahane| first10 = E.
| title = Software Architecture Review and Assessment (SARA) Report
| date = Feb 6, 2002
 | url = https://pkruchten.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/sarav1.pdf
 | access-date = November 1, 2015}}</ref> A number of techniques have been developed to perform such analyses, such as [[ATAM]] or by creating a visual representation of the software system.
* ''It provides a basis for re-use of elements and decisions.''<ref name="PERRY1992"/><ref name="SAP2"/>{{rp|35}} A complete software architecture or parts of it, like individual architectural strategies and decisions, can be re-used across multiple systems whose stakeholders require similar quality attributes or functionality, saving design costs and mitigating the risk of design mistakes.
* ''It supports early design decisions that impact a system's development, deployment, and maintenance life.''<ref name="SAP2"/>{{rp|31}} Getting the early, high-impact decisions right is important to prevent schedule and [[cost overrun|budget overruns]].
* ''It facilitates communication with stakeholders, contributing to a system that better fulfills their needs.''<ref name="SAP2"/>{{rp|29–31}} Communicating about complex systems from the point of view of stakeholders helps them understand the consequences of their stated requirements and the design decisions based on them. Architecture gives the ability to communicate about design decisions before the system is implemented, when they are still relatively easy to adapt.
* ''It helps in risk management.'' Software architecture helps to reduce risks and chance of failure.<ref name="FAIRBANKS2010"/>{{rp|18}}
* ''It enables [[cost reduction]].'' Software architecture is a means to manage risk and costs in complex IT projects.<ref name="RCDA">{{cite journal |last1=Poort |first1=Eltjo |last2=van Vliet |first2=Hans |date=September 2012 |title=RCDA: Architecting as a risk- and cost management discipline |journal=Journal of Systems and Software |volume=85 |issue=9 |pages=1995–2013 |doi=10.1016/j.jss.2012.03.071 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/896159 }}</ref>