C4 ExMan

Metadata

Lecture equivalent	Duration
3	2h 15min

At the end of this task, students

• have derived container and component diagram from the ExMan Suite task
• have written the diagrams down with a tool of their choice
  • draw.io is the recommended way from a learning perspective
  • PlantUML is the way for explorers and avid learners

The goal of this task is to get to learn modelling with C4 and iterating a solution - not being correct in the first try.

Timing

As we had quite some lessons the last 3 weeks you also already have a lot of transfer work todo.

• Client-Server
• Spring Starter
• Learning bite C4 model

Finish them first before you attack the next exercise, this one. Also, you will need your RME transfer work from todays RME lesson, namely the use cases and the context diagram for the ExMan suite and packer. This is DevOps, real engineering work. You already combine knowledge and reuse content from RME which is what will also happen in practice!

Your schedule for this task looks like:

You can also do them in parallel 🔥

Now you ask: "How do I know my RME result is correct?"

That is exactly the point. You do never know that in practice until you reviewed them with colleagues or seniors 💣 We do that together later!

C4 Model

Task

Watch this 📸

Context diagram

The context diagram from ExMan has been created within the RME context, also you got to learn in parallel of how the future ExMan Suite should look like. This gives us the perfect handover to our subject.

Container diagram

In the Learning bite C4 model and in the lecture you have seen the first framework how to derive a container diagram from a context. You also have as input the results of your requirements engineering work.

Task

With a tool of your choice, derive a container diagram.

• Note down your thoughts in a legend or paragraph below the document
  • You can also create a table to explain each container better
• Use C4 Modeling as your guideline
• Do not be afraid to make a mistake - never is an architecture wrong, there is just always room for improvement
• Maybe challenge your draft with a colleague at work or in school (e.g. your MA buddy)
  • If you find any corrections or obscurities, note them down and correct them

Component diagram

Your container diagram should contain something in the direction of a Skill Service (due to the fact that the ExMan Suite talk of skills for employees).

Task

Zoom into your container diagram, preferably into the skill area and try to derive a component diagram from it.

• Same bullets as for the container diagram apply
• Read the goal of this task again if you feel played, it is about tooling and experimenting!
• In case your container diagram does not contain anything related to skills, it might contain another container that does the core work of your future architecture landscape

Sample solution

Here.