What is a Well Architected Review?
Your teams are spinning up new instances, experimenting with managed services, and adapting to ever-changing user demands. So how do you effectively manage change while maintaining high standards?
A Well-Architected Review is a structured approach to evaluating your architecture against best practices. It is gaining traction in the software industry, with experts like Grady Booch acknowledging its value. While cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, and Google offer their own Well-Architected frameworks, it is essential to recognise the inherent bias towards their specific ecosystems. However, these frameworks still provide valuable principles that can be applied universally, regardless of the cloud provider.
Cloud Provider Bias in Well-Architected Reviews
Cloud providers invest heavily in their Well-Architected frameworks, and understandably, they design them with a preference for their own services. However, if you strip away the implementation details and focus on the core principles—such as security, reliability, performance efficiency, cost optimisation, and operational excellence—you can extract immense value without being locked into a single vendor’s ecosystem.
AWS, for instance, emphasises Event-Driven Architecture (EDA). If you leverage AWS services, you are likely integrating with Kinesis, EventBridge, or SQS/SNS. Google, on the other hand, prioritises Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), which aligns with its container-first philosophy. Azure guides users through a structured path, making it easier to follow but potentially restrictive if your needs deviate. The culture of each cloud provider is reflected in their frameworks, but all of them share common architectural best practices.
Conducting an Independent Well-Architected Review
Many assume that a Well-Architected Review must be conducted by a cloud provider. While cloud providers offer guidance, the most valuable insights come from running these reviews internally. The process of assessing your architecture, asking the right questions, and applying the principles in your context is more impactful than simply following a vendor’s recommendations.
Even if your workloads are not in AWS, you can still apply Well-Architected principles. The key lies in collaboration, curiosity, and a structured evaluation process. The questions remain consistent, but the answers will vary based on your technology stack. Running an independent review allows you to tailor the framework to your specific needs while avoiding vendor lock-in.
Helping Non-Technical Colleagues Understand Architecture
One of the challenges in architecture is communicating its value to non-technical stakeholders. Many people struggle to define what architecture is, let alone understand its impact. A Well-Architected Review serves as a structured way to bridge that gap by providing a tangible framework.
Comparing the well-architected approaches of AWS, Azure, and Google can be an effective way to demonstrate that these frameworks are not arbitrary. They are based on established principles that apply across different cloud environments. This can help organisations adopt a more structured approach to architecture without being constrained by a single vendor’s tools.
Should You Ask a Cloud Provider to Conduct a Well-Architected Review?
If you invite a cloud provider to conduct a review, you will likely receive recommendations that align with their products. While this is not inherently bad, it is essential to understand the implications. Cloud solution architects are trained to optimise for their platform, which means their guidance may not always be the best fit for your specific business needs.
The real value of a Well-Architected Review lies in the process itself. Running internal reviews empowers your team to assess architecture through a structured lens, identify gaps, and implement improvements based on your unique context. Establishing this as an ongoing practice enables continuous learning and adaptation.
Establishing a Feedback Loop for Continuous Improvement
One of the key benefits of conducting your own Well-Architected Reviews is establishing a feedback loop. This allows your teams to identify what works, what does not, and where investments should be made. Unlike external consultants, internal teams have the context needed to iterate quickly and make meaningful improvements.
Because Well-Architected frameworks are publicly accessible, they are not exclusive to enterprise customers. Any team can leverage them to improve their architecture, measure progress, and refine their approach over time. By enabling teams to self-assess and continuously iterate, organisations can create a culture of architectural excellence.
How to Combat Cloud Vendor Bias
One way to mitigate bias is by focusing on the core principles of architecture rather than the specific tools a cloud provider offers. Clarity of Purpose, the first phase of the Value Flywheel, helps teams prioritise solving real problems over aligning with vendor preferences. By embracing an iterative and incremental process, organisations can use Well-Architected Reviews as a learning tool rather than a rigid set of requirements dictated by a cloud provider.
Using Well-Architected as a Benchmark
A Well-Architected Review should not be a one-time exercise. Instead, it should be a continuous process of self-assessment. Revisiting the framework regularly ensures that teams stay aligned with best practices and drive meaningful improvements. This ongoing refinement is what separates high-performing teams from the rest.
Grady Booch’s discussions on this topic highlight the importance of architectural thinking. Whether you follow AWS, Azure, or Google’s framework, the key takeaway is that Well-Architected Reviews provide a proven methodology for improving system design. Instead of reinventing the wheel, organisations should leverage these battle-tested frameworks to drive better architectural outcomes.
Regardless of which cloud provider you use, seek out their well-architected guidance. These frameworks have been refined through thousands of real-world implementations. They offer a wealth of knowledge that can help teams build more reliable, secure, and efficient systems. By embracing these principles while maintaining a critical perspective, you can maximise their value without falling into the trap of vendor lock-in.
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