I have just read following question in Google+ "VCDX Study Group 2015"
As a fellow writer (we architects are not readers, but writers! :) ) wanted to ask you how you understand documenting Conceptual, Logic, Physical.I'm hearing very often similar questions about approach how to write good design documentation. So my answer was following ...
Can you add all these in a single Architecture design document with all 3 parts as 3 sections or you are better off creating 3 separate documents for each type of design?
As a writer you have to decide what is the best for your readers :-)
When I'm engaged to write Architecture document I use different approaches for different design engagements. It really depends on project size, scope, audience, architecture team, etc... For example, right now I'm working on project where 6 architects are working on single High Level Design covering big picture and each preparing Low Level Design. At the end there is single HLD document and five separate LLD documents covering
- Compute,
- Storage,
- Networking,
- vSphere and
- Backup.
I had another projects where whole architecture was in single document where each section was targeted to different auditorium. That was a case of my VCDX design documentation.
Generally I believe High Level Design (HLD) is for broader technical audience but also for business owners. Therefore physical design is not required in this stage and only Conceptual and brief Logical design for each area should be in HLD. Low Level Design (LLD) is for technical implementers and technical operational personnel therefore less writing creativity and more deep technical language for specific area should be used there with references to HLD. I recommend to read Greg Ferro's "Eleven Rules of Design Documentation" which IMHO apply very good to LLD.
Generally I believe High Level Design (HLD) is for broader technical audience but also for business owners. Therefore physical design is not required in this stage and only Conceptual and brief Logical design for each area should be in HLD. Low Level Design (LLD) is for technical implementers and technical operational personnel therefore less writing creativity and more deep technical language for specific area should be used there with references to HLD. I recommend to read Greg Ferro's "Eleven Rules of Design Documentation" which IMHO apply very good to LLD.
HLD Conceptual Design should include business and technical requirements, constraints, assumptions, key design decisions, overall high level concept and risk analysis).
HLD Logical Design should include basic logical constructions for different design areas together with capacity planning.
LLD should include Conceptual, Logical and Physical design for specific area(s) or designed system/subsystem. In LLD conceptual design there should be a subset of HLD technical requirements, constraints and assumptions and maybe some other specific requirements irrelevant in HLD. They can be even discovered after HLD and LLD design reviews and additional technical workshops. Logical design can be the same as in HLD or you can go into deeper level but still stay in logical layer without product physical specifications, cabling port IDs, VLAN IDs, IP addressing, etc... These physical details should be in in physical design and if needed referenced in to attachments, excel workbooks, or similar implementation/configuration management documents.
LLD Physical design is usually leveraged by implementer to prepare As-Built documentation.
That's just my $0.02 and your mileage can vary.
At the end I have to repeat ... you, as a writer (Architect), have to decide appropriate documentation format for your target audience.
Don't hesitate to share your thoughts in comments.
