Architectural Expertise in Distributed Systems Under Global Development Conditions

Shatukha Ivan

Citation: Shatukha Ivan, "Architectural Expertise in Distributed Systems Under Global Development Conditions", Universal Library of Engineering Technology, Volume 03, Issue 01.

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

The article addresses the preservation and transfer of architectural expertise in distributed software systems in the context of globally distributed development (GDD). The relevance of the work is driven by the rapid growth of projects in which teams are separated geographically, culturally, and across time zones, complicating the maintenance of a coherent architectural intent. The scientific novelty lies in presenting an integral model for managing architectural knowledge, specifically adapted to the constraints and risks of GDD. The study provides a detailed analysis of key obstacles to effective expertise exchange — temporal desynchronization, cultural divergence, and heterogeneity of the infrastructural landscape. In addition, it offers a critical review of existing approaches and tools for capturing and justifying architectural decisions, with an emphasis on their applicability in distributed settings. Special attention is paid to the role of the architect as a coordinator and mentor of the distributed team. The aim of the work — to develop and theoretically substantiate a framework that ensures the retention and development of architectural expertise within the company. Methodologically, the study relies on an analysis of the scientific literature, synthesis of prevalent practices, and a case study based on the medical application VOKA. The sources considered cover the topics of GDD, knowledge management, and DevOps. The concluding part formalizes the proposed model and formulates recommendations for its implementation. The materials of the article are addressed to software architects, technical leaders, and project managers working in globally distributed teams.


Keywords: Architectural Expertise, Global Distributed Development, GDD, Architectural Knowledge Management, Distributed Systems, Architectural Decisions, Knowledge Transfer, Architectural Erosion, Intercultural Communication, DevOps.

Download doi https://doi.org/10.70315/uloap.ulete.2026.0301006