5 collocation exercises on software architecture and design.
0 / 5 completed
1 / 5
To propose a design, you ___ an RFC.
You draft an RFC (Request for Comments) — writing a proposal document for a design or change so others can review and comment. Draft collocates with RFC, proposal and design doc. Pencil off, sketch up and rough out are too informal. Drafting an RFC surfaces a design for discussion before implementation, catching problems early and building consensus among engineers and stakeholders.
2 / 5
When choosing between options, you ___ trade-offs.
You weigh trade-offs — comparing the pros and cons of competing design options. Weigh collocates with trade-offs, options and pros and cons. Scale off, balance up and judge out are not idiomatic. Weighing trade-offs honestly — performance versus simplicity, cost versus flexibility — is the heart of architecture, since there is rarely a perfect option, only the best fit for the context.
3 / 5
To reduce dependencies, you ___ services.
You decouple services — reducing their interdependence so each can change, deploy and scale independently. Decouple collocates with services, components and systems. Unhook off, detach up and split out are not the standard term. Decoupling, often via well-defined APIs or message queues, makes systems more resilient and maintainable, since a change in one service does not ripple unexpectedly through others.
4 / 5
To clarify responsibilities, you ___ a boundary.
You define a boundary — specifying where one service or module's responsibility ends and another's begins. Define collocates with boundary, interface and contract. Draw off, set up and mark out are not the precise collocation. Clear boundaries (a key idea in domain-driven design) keep systems modular; well-defined boundaries prevent tangled dependencies and make ownership and testing far simpler.
5 / 5
To record an architectural choice, you ___ a decision.
You document a decision — recording it, often as an ADR (Architecture Decision Record), with its context and rationale. Document collocates with decision, design and rationale. Note off, record up and jot out are not idiomatic. Documenting decisions preserves the reasoning for future engineers, who can then understand why a choice was made rather than second-guessing or repeating past mistakes.