What is the Architecture Review Board (ARB)? (2024)

Purpose

The Architecture Review Board (ARB) serves as a governance body ensuring IT initiatives align with Ecosystem Architecture and ultimately align with MIT IT goals, strategies, and objectives. The ARB’s purpose is to improve the quality of IS&T Products.

The Architecture Review Board (ARB) defines appropriate IT strategies and ensures development alignment with those strategies.

The ARB is responsible for defining technical design standards, policies, and principles for IS&T overall.

The ARB is also responsible for all technical aspects of MIT’s IT portfolio such as providing guidance and approving project architecture (conducting technical feasibility studies), providing technical recommendations on architecture and design (i.e. best practice reviews)

Goals

The goals of the Architecture Review Board (ARB) include the following:

Improve the quality of IS&T products

Plan, design, and implement an efficient, effective, and comprehensive architecture for MIT IT Infrastructure and Application

Establish architecture baseline and develop and maintain target architecture for MIT IT

Establish and promote architecture best practices

Create architecture roadmaps

Lead architecture review process

Identify new technologies for IS&T

Support an “Agile Mindset”

Roles and Responsibilities

The key roles and responsibilities of the Architecture Review Board (ARB) include the following:

Domain	Role/Responsibility
Decision Making	Establish architecture roadmaps Establish architectural and design principles and best practices Evaluate solution designs per best practices; if design is rejected provide recommendations for improvement Solicit and consider input from other governing bodies during decision making process Document rationale for decision in meeting minutes or other documentation Provide input to decisions made by other governing bodies
Escalation	Escalate decisions beyond their authority to Senior Leadership Team (SLT) Recommend a course of action and provide supporting analyses (when decision is escalated to another body)
Communication	Communicate decisions to SLT and other key stakeholders in accordance with communications plan Keep SLT informed of major IS&T architecture decisions
Ongoing Activities	Create architecture strategy and roadmap Define architecture principles and best practices Conduct technical feasibility studies (e.g., review investment proposals) Facilitate collaboration across areas to exploit IT synergies and avoid duplication Identification of innovation in IT that can help the business (e.g., new technologies)
Ad-Hoc Activities	Create temporary teams to address specific tasks

FAQ

What projects go to the ARB?
- All major projects will have a resource from the ARB support initial planning and design
- Any project can request design support from the ARB
- Any project can request a project review during the delivery phase. For technically complex projects, ARB reviews may be scheduled periodically for support and reviews.

What is my role at the ARB?
- For major projects, project teams (BA, SA, PM) will work with the ARB Architect for system/solution design guidance and IS&T best practices
- For Architecture Review meetings, project teams will meet with the ARB

How do I submit my projects to be reviewed with the ARB?
- Complete an online ARB Request 3 days prior to the next ARB

How often does the ARB meet?
- The ARB meets every two weeks, on Mondays. An interactive Web calendar will be created with all Governance board meetings.

Architecture Review Process (End-to-End)

Membership

The composition of the Architecture Review Board (ARB) primarily includes technical resources from IS&T who reside in the Ecosystem Architecture team. However, ARB will leverage subject matter experts as needed.

The membership of the Architecture Review Board (ARB) consists of individuals* identified below.

Function	Name	Team	Role/Level
Chair	Garry Zacheiss	Platform & Systems Integration	Director / Lead Architect
Co-Chair	Mark Silis	Enabling Team	Associate VP of IS&T
Member	Olu Brown	Platform Engagement	Community representative and Data Impacts
Member	Stephen Turner	IT Ecosystem Architecture	Student Information Systems and Middleware
Member	Dudley Kirkpatrick	IT Ecosystem Architecture	Web Application Architecture
Member	Siobhan Cunningham	Project & Portfolio Management	Admin Systems and SAP
Member	Joe Calzaretta	IT Ecosystem Architecture	Learning Management Systems
Member	Leo Larson	IT Ecosystem Architecture	Student Information Systems

Meeting Frequency and Agenda

The Architecture Review Board (ARB) shall meet every two weeks. During critical time periods, the meeting frequency may be increased to meet program needs. Communications, guidance and information, such as meeting schedules, agendas and minutes will be made available by the Chair or their appointee.

The following high level agenda outlines a potential framework for the structure of the meeting. Please note that each agenda item may not be a topic at every meeting.

Define IS&T Architecture best practices

Evaluate potential and in-progress solution design(s)

Update architectural and design standards

Review action items

Open discussion

Charter

Accountabilities	Establish architecture roadmaps Establish architectural and design principles and best practices Evaluate solution designs per best practices; if design is rejected provide recommendations for improvement Solicit and consider input from other governing bodies during decision making process Document rationale for decision in meeting minutes or other documentation Provide input to decisions made by other governing bodies	Composition	See detailed Membership page On request: Project Teams for Review
Inputs	Business & IT Strategies Project proposals New technology developments in the marketplace Project Start Architectures Supplier ideas / requirements Learning / Experiences / Insights from other clients / industries High Level Impact Analyses	Outputs	Technology Architecture Vision and Roadmap Architectural approval of project proposals Architecture policies and best practices Technology opportunities Recommendations to the SLT
Mandate	The Architecture Review Board (ARB) serves as a governance body ensuring IT initiatives align with Ecosystem Architecture and ultimately align with MIT IT goals, strategies, and objectives. The ARB serves Improve the quality of IS&T products	Escalation	Escalation point for: Project Board(s) Escalation to: Senior Leadership Team
Frequency	Every 2 weeks / Quarterly (Architecture & Innovation)

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