Separation of Concerns Clean architecture is a term that unites many architectures and software design patterns based on a common goal: separation of concerns…
Separation of Concerns
Clean architecture is a term that unites many architectures and software design patterns based on a common goal: separation of concerns (SoC). Basically, this means that the software is divided into distinct sections so that each section addresses a separate concern.
In other words, each aspect of a system must reflect a distinct business function, with its own requirements and resources. Characteristics of clean architectures include framework independence and the ability to choose specific frameworks or tools, as opposed to the restrictions that dependence on a specific framework or library may impose on the system.
Additionally, all layers of the system must be independent or decoupled, allowing you to introduce changes and test user interfaces, business logic, and stores or data sources without impacting other layers or areas.
Getting clean architecture right is something of a Holy Grail – a very lofty ideal that is not simple to achieve, as most systems are in some state of transition. Instead of focusing on the low-level aspects of clean architecture, I think it's interesting to focus on the teams that build the software.
Engineering teams can be organized in many ways – by function, by technology, by business areas, or all of the above aligned by specific products, features, or modules. Adopting a clean architecture approach to engineering teams means aligning these teams with independent areas of the system, reflecting the concerns of each area in its composition and function.
A perfect match for strategic outsourcing
The concept behind clean architectures and SoC makes them ideal for working with third-party development providers. This is because the decision to quickly increase engineering capacity while reducing risk is often the main trade-off in outsourcing.
A system that reflects clean architecture principles does not have external dependencies that would represent a single point of failure. For example, outsourcing discrete applications or modules would mitigate this risk. Some examples of this type of software development outsourcing may include:
- Migrating legacy applications to a new framework or updating application-specific logic (or both).
- Creation of a new product or module, based on corporate policies, but with its own business rules.
- Update the UI layer of a product or products to improve the user experience.
- Creation of new data sources to improve business intelligence and strategic decision making.
Furthermore, an approach to achieving a cleaner architecture is also a solid argument for scaling up engineering efforts through outsourcing. For example, a monolithic application that must be divided into domains, with services and microservices for context-specific functionalities, will reveal opportunities that autonomous teams can work on without creating additional risks for the entire platform.
To deliver working software more effectively at any layer of the architecture, a focused delivery team is much more likely to produce more value than a large team of individual contributors. This is what underlines the strategic value of hiring outsourced development services.
Since clean architecture separates software into different sections that can be worked on individually without impacting each other, an outsourced team of developers is more beneficial. This is because all its members can work simultaneously in different sections, but without losing the overall picture.
