Data-driven architectural decisions to mitigate risk
A decision matrix helps us evaluate the desirability of an architecture. However, it is not always necessary to opt for the architectural option that has the highest desirability score. Sometimes, each criterion needs to have a minimum threshold score for an architecture to be selected. Such scenarios can be handled by a spider chart.
A spider chart, also known as a radar chart, is often used to display data across multiple dimensions. Each dimension is represented by an axis. Usually, the dimensions are quantitative and normalized to match a particular range. Then, each option is plotted against all the dimensions to create a closed polygon structure, as shown in the following diagram:
Figure 12.6 – Spider or radar chart
In our case, each criterion for making an architectural decision can be considered a dimension. Also, each architectural alternative is plotted as a graph on the radar chart. Let...
