Identifying Domains and Subdomains
Organizing teams and shaping software architecture starts by identifying the different areas of your business — domains — and the subdomains they are composed of.
We design and facilitate in-person and remote workshops to map your business into domains and subdomains, and progress to architecture and Team Topologies.
Workshop Techniques
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Big Picture Event Storming
Big Picture Event Storming is used to collaboratively map out larger areas of a business such as a whole domain or multiple domains, to visualize end-to-end flows.
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Event Storm Slicing
After creating an Event Storm, the events on the Event Storm can be sliced into groups which represent candidate domains and subdomains.
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Process Modelling Event Storming
Process Modelling Event Storming is used to map out smaller areas in greater detail to increase confidence in the candidate domains and subdomains.
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Core Domain Charts
Core Domain Charts allow you to determine the strategic value of each domain which in turn facilitates decisions like where to zoom in and where to build vs buy.
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Domain Storytelling
Domain Storytelling is a technique for modelling concrete domain scenarios. It cam be used for current and future state, and identifying boundaries
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People Mapping
People Mapping focuses on identifying all of the people involved in the domain, the roles they play, the jobs the do, and their motivations.
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Example Mapping
Example Mapping is a technique for zooming into the details and uncovering hidden scenarios and requirements, ensuring key information is not missed.
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Domain Message Flow Modelllling
Domain Message Flow Modelling is a technique for mapping end-to-end flows across multiple subdomains which helps to validate boundaries.
Getting Started
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Step 1 - Discuss Scope
The first step in working together is establishing the areas of your business to map out. Is it the whole business or just specific areas… and what will you do when you have identified your domains and subdomains?
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Step 2 - Listening Sessions
Before workshops, we spend time listening to people in different teams and different roles to get many different perspectives on the situation, so we can design workshops that will be most impactful.
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Step 3 - Big Picture Workshops
We usually start with high-level workshops that cover one or more whole domains using Big Picture Event Storming. Typically, we suggest 2 full days or 4 half days as a starting point for this step.
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Step 4 - Deep Dive Workshops
After mapping the big picture, we then have specific workshops to zoom in and map out smaller areas in larger detail to validate and refine boundaries. Typically, 1 day of deep dives for each subdomain.
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Step 5 - Plan Next Steps
After a series of big picture and deep dive workshops a lot of progress will have been made but there may still be some question marks remaining so we will create a tailored plan for addressing them.
Video Training Course
Our Principal Consultant Nick Tune and our partner Kacper Gunia are the authors of the Team Topologies Video training course Independent Value Streams with DDD. This is for organizations looking to establish autonomous, domain-aligned teams.