iSAQB CPSA Foundation Level study plan

Define software architecture in your own words and distinguish it from detailed design, using at least three contrasting criteria

Explain the duties of a software architect (stakeholder alignment, technical leadership, risk management) and map each to a concrete activity in a project you know

Identify the difference between functional and non-functional requirements and classify ten example requirements correctly

Describe how architecture decisions influence quality attributes and give two examples where a single decision trades one quality for another

Apply the quality tree method to a small system and derive at least three quality scenarios per top-level quality attribute

Write six-part quality scenarios (source, stimulus, artifact, environment, response, measure) that are testable and specific

Explain the difference between quality attributes, quality characteristics and quality requirements as used in architecture evaluation

Connect architecture tactics to quality goals and justify why a chosen tactic supports a given scenario

Compare layered, pipe-and-filter, microservices and event-driven structures on coupling, deployability and operational cost

Select an appropriate architecture pattern for a given set of quality requirements and defend the choice in writing

Sketch a component decomposition for a sample system and document interfaces, responsibilities and dependencies

Explain how design principles such as separation of concerns, information hiding and single responsibility manifest in concrete structures

Document an architecture using at least three different views and explain which stakeholder question each view answers

Apply a modeling notation consistently (UML component, deployment and sequence diagrams) without mixing abstraction levels

Write architecture decision records that capture context, decision, alternatives and consequences

Translate a component diagram into a short textual architecture overview readable by a non-technical stakeholder

Tailor architecture communication to three distinct stakeholder groups and justify the level of detail chosen for each

Explain the role of architecture views, models and conventions in reducing misunderstanding

Present an architecture in a ten-minute walkthrough and collect structured feedback

Identify common communication failure modes in architecture work and describe a mitigation for each

Set up a modeling tool and produce a consistent diagram set from a single model repository

Use static analysis or build tooling to surface architecture violations such as forbidden dependencies

Configure a version-controlled documentation workflow so that diagrams and decision records are reviewed like code

Evaluate at least three tools against criteria such as notation support, collaboration and traceability, and justify a selection

Run a lightweight architecture evaluation against your own documented design using your quality scenarios

Detect and record at least three architectural risks with likelihood, impact and a proposed mitigation

Refactor one part of your design to remove a detected violation and document the resulting trade-offs

Verify traceability from each quality scenario to a design element and a verification approach

Consolidate all five domains into a one-page concept map showing how terms and methods connect

Answer practice questions across all domains under timed conditions and review every wrong answer to its root concept

Rehearse explaining architecture terms precisely in your own words without notes

Identify your two weakest areas and close them with targeted review