Application structure
When analyzing a large business requirement, a Lead System Architect (LSA) works with Business Architects and other stakeholders to identify modular applications that emphasize reusability, maintainability, and extensibility. A modular application represents a coherent, high-value area of functionality that delivers a specific business outcome.
Use the following indicators to determine whether a requirement translates into more than one application:
- Distinct business outcomes that address different business needs or request types. If the requirement includes outcomes that cannot be logically merged, define separate applications. Examples of distinct outcomes:
- Employee onboarding
- Benefits enrolment
- Employee time tracker
- Unshared Data Models or integrations where major Data Types differ and cater to different functional areas.
- Different Personas or user groups that do not interact across journeys and operate in separate contexts
- Independent value streams where removing one stream does not affect the operation of another.
Application modularization
When you design and deliver an application using the Blueprint Delivered™ methodology, apply modularity beginning with the Blueprinting phase. Identify distinct business features that can become reusable modules. Focus on each business outcome as you define the application purpose, functional description, and supporting assets
During the Authoring phase, implement your modular reuse strategy. Keep the Enterprise Layer lightweight, containing only shared assets such as authentication, UI styling, and security. Build focused modules that include reusable capabilities aligned with business entities, system integrations, or utility functions. Create business applications in the top layer, and reference the required modules as built-on applications.
During the Value Activation phase, a modular application architecture delivers key benefits:
- Testing is more focused because changes are isolated to specific modules.
- Data migration is cleaner because modules contain well-defined Data Objects.
- User adoption is faster because consistent modules create familiar patterns across applications.
By organizing your applications into Enterprise Layer, Module Layer, and Application Layer, you create reusable, maintainable components that align perfectly with the rapid delivery objectives of Blueprint Delivered. For more information about applying the right reuse and extensibility strategies, see Designing applications for reuse and extension.
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