Building Blocks of Design

There are three high level elements that are considered for design:

• Patterns
  A pattern is a specification for addressing a common problem in solution design. Patterns are not algorithms, they are higher level and more broadly applicable. Adopting a widely accepted pattern as part of solution design can help us address not only the problem we recognize, but also the related problems we may not recognize on first glance.

• Frameworks
  Occasionally, you may find targeted reference implementations of patterns that may be useful, and they are often in the form of a framework. In classic object-oriented design, a framework is a set of abstract classes to be incorporated into and reused as part of a software application. The current thinking is that a framework also may be a set of abstract data constructs, rules, or processes. A framework is different from a pattern in that a framework is something real that can be incorporated into and used as a foundational element of your solution—it is commonly the implementation of a pattern or specification.
  A framework provides guidance beyond that of a pattern, and typically provides deployable elements that can be used as the foundation for your solution. The more well- understood the framework, the easier it will be for an organization to support it over time.

• Components
  Components are encapsulated elements of a system (hardware, software, network, etc.) and are by definition not case-specific. Components can be wrapped into your solution seamlessly, or can be managed as separate entities, regardless of deployment environment. Incorporating well-understood components into your solution definition can save time in delivery and increase the quality of your solution, but components may have associated support costs that can be considerable.
  Most components can be satisfactorily configured to meet our needs without any custom work. Incorporating a component and customizing it beyond the standard configuration is risky—you should understand the cost associated with supporting it going forward, and the risk of losing vendor-provided support.