Software architecture decision making in practice

Hello architecture enthusiasts! We're excited to announce our next meetup focused on software architecture decision making in practice! Join us for an engaging evening where Bert Jan will kick things off with practical strategies for making high-impact architecture decisions, followed by Piet's insights on creating and communicating architectural decision records with your teams.

Come hungry for both knowledge and food — we've got plenty of both, plus drinks and great networking opportunities at OpenValue's Utrecht office.

Both sessions will be presented in English. RSVP now for an evening of learning and connection!

Getting Here

Directions: https://www.openvalue.eu/route/#utrecht. Parking is free. The office is within walking distance of Utrecht Zuilen train station.

Agenda

17:30 Doors open
18:00 Food
18:30 Talk 1: Making significant software architecture decisions
19:30 Break
19:45 Talk 2: Creating effective and objective architectural decision records (ADRs)
20:45 Drinks, fun, networking

Talk 1: Making significant software architecture decisions
Bert Jan Schrijver, CTO at OpenValue

Every architectural decision has a cost, and balancing trade-offs is at the core of any successful software architecture. But how do you decide between competing solutions, languages, or frameworks?
In this session, Bert Jan will explore a structured approach to making high-impact architecture decisions, helping you navigate through technical, organizational, and financial considerations. Learn practical strategies for evaluating trade-offs and ensuring the long-term success of your projects.

About Bert Jan

Bert Jan is CTO at OpenValue and focuses on Java, software architecture, Continuous Delivery and DevOps. Bert Jan is a Java Champion, JavaOne Rock Star speaker, Duke's Choice Award winner and leads NLJUG, the Dutch Java User Group. He loves to share his experience by speaking at conferences, writing for the Dutch Java magazine and helping out Devoxx4Kids with teaching kids how to code. Bert Jan is easily reachable on X at @bjschrijver.

Talk 2: Creating effective and objective architectural decision records (ADRs)
Piet van Dongen, Cloud-native Software Engineering Consultant at OpenValue

Documenting decisions is like eating your veggies as a kid: they keep telling you it's good for you, but you just hate doing it. Architectural Decision Records (ADRs) to the rescue! ADRs are perfect for just-in-time, just-enough documentation for engineering teams and organisations.

During this talk, you will learn how to make create and communicate architectural decisions as a team, in barely any time at all.

About Piet

Piet is a senior cloud-native software engineering consultant at OpenValue. He loves to help organisations with mapping and exploiting business opportunities using software and cloud technology.

He shares his knowledge of software architecture, cloud modernisation, skills development, and technology by writing, lecturing, training, or speaking on stage at meetups and conferences like Voxxed Days, Codemotion, DevOpsDays, and re:Invent. He is an active software community member: he is one of the organizers of the Dutch iSAQB Software Architecture Community and an ex-leader of the Dutch AWS User Group.