Systems architecture

Abstract

The production of large and complex systems usually requires the coordination and collaboration of many individuals spread among numerous divisions of a corporation. However, much research examining coordination has focused on the subtleties of interactions between individuals who may work together in the same department. In this paper, I present a study of systems architects and the work that they do to coordinate design across organizational and institutional boundaries. I also describe the processes and tools that the architects use to support their work. The implications of the social processes involved in coordinating the design of large complex systems on the product and those involved in its production are discussed.