Course overview
Design systems with clear boundaries, trade-offs, and operating evidence, from first diagrams through distributed architecture.
Start at the top, move stage by stage, then use practice and stage tests when you want a stronger check.
Stage 1 of 3
Start from what architecture is for, and how to think about components, boundaries and responsibilities in small systems.
Foundations across the delivery lifecycle with security treated as a normal engineering concern.
Start here
Start from what architecture is for, and how to think about components, boundaries and responsibilities in small systems.
Foundations across the delivery lifecycle with security treated as a normal engineering concern.
Module 1
Learn to identify what you're building and what could go wrong.
Covers user journeys, non-functional requirements, threat modelling fundamentals with STRIDE, and abuse cases mapped to OWASP Top 10.
Not started
Module 2
Document and communicate architectural decisions using C4 models, Architecture Decision Records, API contracts, and security by design principles.
This module turns decisions into artefacts you can defend and share.
Not started
Module 3
Write secure, maintainable code with proper input validation, output encoding, session management, error handling, and supply chain security.
This is about secure defaults and clean boundaries.
Not started
Module 4
Ensure quality and security through comprehensive testing strategies, OWASP ASVS integration, accessibility testing with WCAG 2.2, and performance testing.
Verification shows whether your design survives reality.
Not started
Module 5
Automate secure deployments with CI/CD pipelines, DevSecOps integration, deployment strategies, and Infrastructure as Code basics.
Delivery is where good architecture can be damaged.
Not started
Module 6
Run systems reliably in production with Google SRE principles, four golden signals, observability triad, and effective incident response.
Operations are part of the architecture.
Not started
Module 7
Master troubleshooting tools and techniques using OSI layers, browser DevTools, command-line diagnostics, and TLS certificate inspection.
A shared network model gives teams a calm order for troubleshooting.
Not started
Module 8
Evaluate systems across quality attributes including security, privacy, accessibility, performance, reliability, scalability, maintainability, and more.
Quality attributes guide trade offs.
Not started
Module 9
Now that you have worked through all eight modules, it is time to test your understanding.
After completing this Foundation tier, progress to the Applied tier (3 CPD hours) for runtime trade-offs, integration choices, and architecture decisions under pressure.
Not started
Practice test
Test recall and judgement against the governed stage question bank before you move on.
Use this after the stage modules when you want to spot weak areas without the pressure of a timed assessment. Includes 20 published questions.
Stage test
Use the untimed stage test when you want a stronger stage-end check and no governed timed route exists yet.
Built from the published stage question bank so you can self-check honestly before the next stage. Includes 20 questions.
Stage 2 of 3
Layered patterns, microservices, events, data ownership and real trade offs between coupling, performance and changeability.
We move from simple boxes and arrows to real world architecture styles, integration patterns and trade offs.
Start here
Layered patterns, microservices, events, data ownership and real trade offs between coupling, performance and changeability.
We move from simple boxes and arrows to real world architecture styles, integration patterns and trade offs.
Module 1
The big styles are patterns, not rules.
The best style is the one your team can operate safely, not the one that looks impressive on a slide.
Not started
Module 2
Systems talk in two main ways.
Service A calls Service B synchronously.
Not started
Module 3
latency and throughput are easy to measure.
Someone proposes removing rate limits because it “hurts the user experience”.
Not started
Module 4
State hides everywhere.
A product shows prices from a cache.
Not started
Practice test
Test recall and judgement against the governed stage question bank before you move on.
Use this after the stage modules when you want to spot weak areas without the pressure of a timed assessment. Includes 18 published questions.
Stage test
Use the untimed stage test when you want a stronger stage-end check and no governed timed route exists yet.
Built from the published stage question bank so you can self-check honestly before the next stage. Includes 18 questions.
Stage 3 of 3
Event driven systems, CQRS, integration patterns, observability and digitalisation strategy across whole organisations.
We move into big system thinking, advanced patterns and how to keep complex software fast, safe and changeable over time.
Start here
Event driven systems, CQRS, integration patterns, observability and digitalisation strategy across whole organisations.
We move into big system thinking, advanced patterns and how to keep complex software fast, safe and changeable over time.
Module 1
Glossary Tip.
When contexts blur, systems become expensive to change.
Not started
Module 2
Glossary Tip.
Glossary Tip.
Not started
Module 3
Caching helps, but it creates new risks.
A dependency slows down.
Not started
Module 4
Glossary Tip.
Glossary Tip.
Not started
Practice test
Test recall and judgement against the governed stage question bank before you move on.
Use this after the stage modules when you want to spot weak areas without the pressure of a timed assessment. Includes 12 published questions.
Stage test
Use the untimed stage test when you want a stronger stage-end check and no governed timed route exists yet.
Built from the published stage question bank so you can self-check honestly before the next stage. Includes 12 questions.