Javiera Laso

Architect as a Systems Thinker: Turning Strategy into Action

In this hands-on session, participants will learn how to bridge the gap between technical strategy and execution using systems thinking principles.

Through some exercises, software architects will practice mapping business goals, constraints, and feedback loops, then translate them into a clear and adaptable technical roadmap.

This presentation focuses on helping architects/engineers to move from abstract vision to actionable outcomes, aligning architecture with value, sequencing initiatives, and communicating trade-offs effectively to stakeholders.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Understand how systems thinking reveals dependencies and leverage points within technical ecosystems
Identify how business outcomes can be mapped to technical capabilities
Practice creating an adaptive roadmap using “Now / Next / Laterˮ framing
Learn to communicate trade-offs and priorities in a way that aligns with business goals Leave with a reusable framework and template for turning architectural strategy into delivery steps

The Cost of Good Intentions: Anti-Patterns in Architecture Modernization

Modernizing legacy systems seemed exciting…until I found myself absorbed in rewrites, facing business blockers, and watching tech debt pile up instead of shrink. In this talk, I’ll share the biggest traps I’ve seen and experienced firsthand while working on modernization efforts in large organizations—and what helped us avoid (or recover from) them. From picking the wrong architecture patterns too early to losing stakeholder trust halfway through, I’ll walk through real examples of what not to do, along with the principles and strategies that helped us get back on track. Whether you’re breaking down a monolith or updating a business-critical system, I’ll help you steer clear of common pitfalls and make smarter, more sustainable decisions.

What This Talk Will Answer:
-What are the most common and costly mistakes teams make during architecture modernization?
-How do you choose between refactoring, rewriting, or rearchitecting a legacy system?
-How can Domain-Driven Design reduce risk and improve focus in modernization efforts?
-What strategies keep modernization aligned with business priorities and avoid loss of momentum?
-How do you avoid turning tech upgrades into long-running, low-impact projects?

Architecting a Secure, Scalable, and Cost Effective Health system

In this architectural kata, you will step into the shoes of a software architect tasked with designing a modern healthcare management system for a rapidly growing provider, MedBest.

The challenge is to create a system that integrates patient records, appointment scheduling, billing, and telemedicine while ensuring robust security, compliance with regulations, scalability, and cost efficiency.

Enforcing Architecture Decisions Using Tests

In the fast-paced world of software development, maintaining architectural integrity is a
continuous challenge. Over time, well-intended architectural decisions can erode, leading to unexpected drift and misalignment with original design principles.

This hands-on workshop will equip participants with practical techniques to enforce architecture decisions using tests. By leveraging architecturally-relevant testing, attendees will learn how to proactively guard their system's design, ensuring consistency, scalability, and security as the codebase evolves. Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, we will explore how testing can serve as a powerful tool for preserving architectural integrity throughout a project's lifecycle.

Key Takeaways
Participants will learn to:
Write architecture-driven tests that validate and enforce design constraints.
Identify architectural drift early and prevent unintended changes.
Maintain consistent, scalable, and secure architectures over time.
Collaborate effectively within teams to sustain architectural excellence.
Prerequisites
Basic Understanding of Software Architecture: Familiarity with architectural patterns and
principles
Experience with Automated Testing: Understanding of unit, integration, or system testing
concepts
Collaboration and Communication Skills: Willingness to engage in discussions and
teamwork
Experience working with Java
Optional
Familiarity with Static Analysis and Code Quality Tools: Knowledge of tools like ArchUnit,
SonarQube, or custom linters is beneficial but not required
Experience with Large-Scale Systems: Prior work on complex systems can enhance the

Key Takeaways:

Participants will learn to:
Write architecture-driven tests that validate and enforce design constraints.
Identify architectural drift early and prevent unintended changes.
Maintain consistent, scalable, and secure architectures over time.
Collaborate effectively within teams to sustain architectural excellence.

Prerequisites:

Basic Understanding of Software Architecture: Familiarity with architectural patterns and principles
Experience with Automated Testing: Understanding of unit, integration, or system testing concepts
Collaboration and Communication Skills: Willingness to engage in discussions and
teamwork
Experience working with Java

Optional
Familiarity with Static Analysis and Code Quality Tools: Knowledge of tools like ArchUnit,
SonarQube, or custom linters is beneficial but not required
Experience with Large-Scale Systems: Prior work on complex systems can enhance the