Conceptual architecture provides a conceptual framework for organizing a system that includes principles, concepts, and relationships between system components. The main features of conceptual architecture are:
1 Connection with technical architecture: conceptual architecture serves as the foundation for the technical architecture of the system. This means that the conceptual architecture is used as a conceptual framework to define and relate system components, as a basis for determining the technical requirements of the system.
2 General meaning: conceptual architecture presents the main and major idea of the system at a high level of perspective and pays attention to the system as a whole. In other words, the conceptual architecture is used to define the system in general and to determine the main and primary goals of the system.
3 Description of relationships and connections: conceptual architecture includes the description of relationships and connections between system components. This includes how components communicate, how data is exchanged, and how they communicate with the environment.
4 Changeability: The conceptual architecture should have high changeability to be able to adapt to changes in system needs and goals. In other words, the conceptual architecture should consist of foundations that allow for changes and development.
5 Use of conceptual architecture representations should use representations such as conceptual diagrams, UML diagrams or ER diagrams to explain system components. These diagrams are used as tools to show connections and dependencies between system components.
6 Complexity management: Conceptual architecture is used as a conceptual framework to manage system complexity. By defining and dividing the system components and determining the relationships between them, conceptual architecture helps to reduce the complexity of the system.
7 Use of standards: The conceptual architecture should use standards such as ISO 42010 to provide the ability to compare and interpret systems architecture.
8 Attention to security: Conceptual architecture should pay attention to system security and use approved methods to manage system security.
9 Use of design methods: Conceptual architecture should use design methods such as Design Thinking and Human Centered Design to develop and improve the system.
10. Paying attention to flexibility: the conceptual architecture should use architectural patterns such as Microservices and Cloud Architecture to provide system flexibility.
11. Paying attention to efficiency: conceptual architecture should pay attention to system efficiency and use optimization methods and system resource management to improve system performance.
12 Attention to quality: The conceptual architecture should pay attention to the quality of the system and use approved methods to evaluate and improve the quality of the system.
13 Paying attention to communication: Conceptual architecture should pay attention to communication with other systems and external resources and use methods such as API Design and Integration Architecture.
14 Paying attention to the cost effectiveness: the conceptual architecture should pay attention to the cost effectiveness of the system and use cost optimization methods such as the use of cloud services and marketing systems.
In general, conceptual architecture is a conceptual framework for system organization that serves as a foundation for the technical architecture of the system and should pay attention to things like flexibility, efficiency, quality, and security. The use of representations such as conceptual diagrams and paying attention to standards are also characteristics of conceptual architecture.