CMA Solution Architecture Process 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which artifact produced during solution architecture serves as the primary contract between the architect and stakeholders for scope agreement?
- Architecture Definition Document
- Solution Architecture Agreement
- Statement of Architecture Work (Correct answer)
- Architecture Roadmap
Correct answer: Statement of Architecture Work
The Statement of Architecture Work defines the scope, approach, and resources for the architecture project, serving as the formal agreement between architect and sponsor.
Question 2: When applying the ADM, what is the primary purpose of the Architecture Vision phase?
- To produce detailed technical specifications for developers
- To create a high-level aspirational view of the end-state solution (Correct answer)
- To identify all architecture gaps between current and target state
- To select specific technology products for implementation
Correct answer: To create a high-level aspirational view of the end-state solution
Architecture Vision establishes a high-level, aspirational picture of the desired future state to gain stakeholder buy-in before detailed work begins.
Question 3: A solution architect is faced with conflicting requirements from two business units. What is the recommended first step?
- Escalate immediately to the project sponsor for a decision
- Document the conflict and defer resolution to implementation
- Facilitate a structured trade-off analysis session with both stakeholders (Correct answer)
- Select the requirement from the higher-priority business unit
Correct answer: Facilitate a structured trade-off analysis session with both stakeholders
Facilitating a structured trade-off analysis brings stakeholders together to collaboratively evaluate options and reach consensus rather than imposing a unilateral decision.
Question 4: Which concept in solution architecture describes the degree to which a system's components can be separated and recombined?
- Cohesion
- Modularity (Correct answer)
- Coupling
- Encapsulation
Correct answer: Modularity
Modularity refers to the design principle of separating a system into discrete, interchangeable components that can be recombined, improving flexibility and maintainability.
Question 5: In architecture governance, what is the purpose of an Architecture Compliance Review?
- To audit the development team's coding standards adherence
- To verify that implementation projects conform to approved architecture (Correct answer)
- To assess vendor compliance with contractual obligations
- To review security patches applied to production systems
Correct answer: To verify that implementation projects conform to approved architecture
An Architecture Compliance Review assesses whether an implementation project is being built in accordance with the approved architecture and identifies any deviations.
Question 6: Which technique is most appropriate for documenting how a solution will handle both normal and exceptional operational scenarios?
- Context Diagrams
- Use Case Analysis (Correct answer)
- Entity Relationship Diagrams
- Deployment Topology Maps
Correct answer: Use Case Analysis
Use Case Analysis captures both primary (normal) and alternate/exception flows, making it ideal for documenting how a system responds to varied operational scenarios.
Question 7: When sizing a solution's capacity, a CMA practitioner should baseline requirements against which metric type to ensure scalability targets are realistic?
- Average load during business hours
- Peak load at the 95th or 99th percentile (Correct answer)
- Minimum load during off-peak periods
- Median load across a rolling 30-day window
Correct answer: Peak load at the 95th or 99th percentile
Capacity planning for scalability should be based on peak load at high percentiles (95th or 99th) to ensure the solution handles worst-case demand without degradation.
CMA Solution Architecture Process 2
Which artifact produced during solution architecture serves as the primary contract between the architect and stakeholders for scope agreement?