Architecture Intent
Last Updated: November 1, 2024
Are you getting ready to start working on your product? The Architecture Intent touchpoint is required for all products launching on VA.gov. Follow these guidelines to get started.
Don’t have a GitHub ticket yet? You may need to start the Collab Cycle with a Kickoff.
The Architecture Intent meeting is a requirement. It helps your team build a technical solution that meets VA.gov Engineering and Security Standards, and lowers the potential for launch-blocking issues at the final Staging Review.
What’s the purpose of the Architecture Intent?
The goal of the Architecture Intent meeting (or “touchpoint”) is to ensure you’re building a product that meets VA.gov Engineering and Security standards before you’ve started building your product.
This meeting is less a formal presentation and more a collaborative discussion surrounding the architectural decisions that impact the engineering and security posture of the product you are building or iterating on. It not only provides OCTO-DE and Platform with an early understanding of the product/feature your team wants to build, but is also an opportunity to collaborate with VA’s engineering and security stakeholders to assist you with building out the correct technical solution. The focus is on making sure your code meets user needs within the constraints of the platform you're building on.
Preparing for the Architecture Intent
When should the Architecture Intent be scheduled?
You should schedule an Architecture Intent meeting if any of these apply and you are at a point where you are ready to discuss your approach:
You have questions about one or more points on the template below.
You're having trouble locating or getting technical info from other stakeholders or system owners.
You're launching a new service or major new feature.
You're using an architecture pattern not currently found on the VA.gov Platform.
You plan to use a new technology, library or dependency.
You're integrating with a new system or API, inside or outside of the VA.
Your change requires complex coordination across teams or you need support to coordinate across teams.
You're gathering new Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and/or Protected Health Information (PHI) or saving PII/PHI in a new place.
There are cost, performance or security implications to your change.
Note: OCTO-DE will need at least 2 business days to review your materials. Ensure you provide enough lead time, otherwise the meeting may need to be rescheduled.
What artifacts will be needed?
Artifacts are anything that will help OCTO-DE understand your product. There are 2 required artifacts:
Please fully fill out the Architecture Intent Meeting Template and store your Architecture Diagrams in the Diagrams folder in the Sensitive Repo.
Create a user data flow diagram if your application accepts data from a user.
The artifacts should be ready and linked in the VFS team’s Collaboration Cycle Request GitHub ticket at least 2 business days before the scheduled meeting.
How to schedule the Architecture Intent
Follow the steps in your team’s Collaboration Cycle Request GitHub ticket.
Schedule: Use the Calendly link in the Before Meeting > VFS Actions section to select a date for the touchpoint meeting. The Governance Team will reach out within a business day via Slack to confirm that your touchpoint has been scheduled.
Add artifacts: Using the Architecture Intent Meeting Template, make sure you have provided clear answers to every section on the ticket.
Please request your Architecture Intent meeting and provide artifacts at least 2 business days ahead of time so the Governance Team can review your artifacts.
Who should schedule the Architecture Intent?
No one specific role on the VFS team is required to schedule the Architecture Intent. However, whoever schedules the Architecture Intent and notifies the Governance Team through Slack will be responsible for inviting the rest of their team to the scheduled Architecture Intent meeting.
Who should attend the Architecture Intent?
The VFS team’s technical leadership and product manager should attend the Architecture Intent. You’re also encouraged to invite relevant members of your team, such as engineers, and VA stakeholders who will be working on or advising the product.
The Governance team will ensure that the relevant Platform and OCTO-DE participants are invited.
What happens during the Architecture Intent?
Meeting format
30-minute synchronous Zoom meeting
Hosted by OCTO-DE
Recorded for later reference
Agenda
Architecture Intent meetings often follow this format:
OCTO-DE welcomes everyone to the call.
Your team has about 10 minutes to introduce your initiative. We recommend using this time to:
Discuss the problem space you are trying to solve for, including any constraints you’re facing.
Present your artifacts and walk us through the technical direction
OCTO-DE will ask questions and provide feedback. They'll also provide you with written feedback through GitHub after the meeting.
What sort of feedback can teams expect?
After you present your artifacts and explain the user flow, OCTO-DE will ask questions and provide feedback. They may:
Share what other teams have done in the past to solve this technical problem
Share information about security rules and/or implications based on your given approach
Remember, this is more of a discussion than a formal presentation. If you have questions you want answered or have questions about the feedback, ask!
After the Architecture Intent Meeting
After the meeting, OCTO-DE will add the link to the recording of the meeting to the Collaboration Cycle Request GitHub ticket.
OCTO-DE Engineering and Security stakeholders will document their feedback with GitHub tickets. Once the Feedback is provided, you can update your technical plan to conform to relevant Engineering and Security standards.
Help and feedback
Get help from the Platform Support Team in Slack.
Submit a feature idea to the Platform.