Welcome back.
In the first part of this series, we introduced the Architecture Work Canvas—a simple, one-page tool that helps teams align on architecture without getting lost in theory or bureaucracy.
Today, we’re going to dive into the first column of the canvas. It’s called the Vision column, and it’s where everything begins.
Every project starts with a mix of assumptions, goals, and expectations—some written down, but many unspoken. And this is where a lot of problems start. Architects jump straight into systems, diagrams, or tools before taking a step back to ask the most important questions.
Why are we doing this?
What are we trying to achieve?
Who cares about the outcome?
And what constraints are we working under?
When those questions aren’t answered clearly, teams move in different directions. Stakeholders feel like they’re being ignored. Developers feel frustrated. And the "why" behind the architecture gets lost.
The Vision column of the Architecture Work Canvas is designed to stop that from happening.
This column is simple, but powerful. It includes four boxes:
Objectives. Stakeholders. Constraints. Expected Outcomes.
When you take time to fill these out together as a team, you're not just writing things down. You're building alignment. You're surfacing risks early. You're turning invisible tension into shared understanding.
And that sets the stage for everything else to go smoothly.
Let me share an example.
At XYZ Corp, the team was integrating with a new partner—let’s call them PartnerB. From the start, there was friction. The partner’s CISO was worried about security and compliance. Meanwhile, XYZ’s development lead was focused on speed and delivery.
These concerns kept clashing, and the project stalled.
Then they pulled out the Architecture Work Canvas. In one focused session, they worked through the Vision column together. Everyone wrote down their objectives. They listed out the key stakeholders and what each one cared about. They spelled out the constraints—legal, technical, and time-based. And they captured what “success” would look like in concrete terms.
By the end of the session, they weren’t arguing anymore. They were aligned. And from that point on, the project moved forward.
Vision is your launch pad. It gives your architecture effort a clear takeoff point, so everyone moves in the same direction from day one.
And if you’re using the full QTAM approach—the Quick Technical Architecture Method—this step lines up with the early foundation of the method. It gives you a base to make smart technical decisions that actually reflect real-world priorities.
So here’s what you can do next.
👉 Start here — https://qtam.morin.io/
You’ll be able to download the free Architecture Work Canvas, including the Vision column layout. And if you want deeper guidance, including real-world case walkthroughs, quizzes, and templates, check out the full QTAM training on Udemy.
The Vision column is fully covered in Module 4 of the course.
Take a few minutes to write down the objectives and stakeholders for your current project. You might be surprised by how many assumptions you’ve been carrying without realizing it.
In the next part of this series, we’ll move into the Business Architecture column and explore how to connect your technical expertise to real business value.
See you there.
Top comments (0)