discussion reply to I think some of the major factors that contribute to either the formal or ad-hoc process of system architecting is dependent on a few things. From communicating with the customer, to understanding the business strategy, to understanding the operationally capability, to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the team, all of these factors contribute to the process. In the formal process, there is always a line of communication open with the customer, ensuring that everyone is on the same page with the bigger picture. In my opinion, formal vs ad-hoc could be viewed as open minded vs closed minded. I think the ad-hoc process can be effective when trying to take major leaps in technological advancements completing them in an iterative process. I also think cost is a major factor in both processes too. If a team doesn't have the ability to design something based on the architecture, there's a few options. Option A, hire an outside firm to assist with the development, or Option B, try and learn from the process but that's also a costly effort with labor hours. I certainly think that in different system developments that the formal or the ad-hoc process can