Mixed Deck — All CMA Topics Flashcards

What is the significance of post-project evaluation?

Answer: To review the project and identify successes and challenges

Post-project evaluation is a crucial step that allows teams to reflect on the entire project lifecycle after completion. It involves systematically reviewing what went well, what could have been improved, and identifying lessons learned. This process provides valuable insights for future projects, helping to refine processes, improve efficiency, and enhance overall project management practices within the organization.

Why is it important to consider user needs in architectural design?

Answer: To create spaces that are functional, comfortable, and meet user needs

Considering user needs is paramount in architectural design because buildings are ultimately created for people. Understanding how occupants will interact with and experience a space allows architects to design environments that are functional, comfortable, and enhance quality of life. This user-centric approach leads to more effective, enjoyable, and successful architectural outcomes.

A master architect is reviewing a platform that uses synchronous REST calls between 15 microservices. What is the primary risk of this approach at scale?

Answer: Cascading failures where one slow service degrades all dependent services

Synchronous REST chains create cascading failure risks because a slow or unavailable downstream service can block and degrade all upstream callers.

What distinguishes Type X gypsum wallboard from standard Type W (regular) wallboard?

Answer: Addition of glass fibers and other non-combustible aggregates for enhanced fire resistance

Type X wallboard contains glass fibers and special aggregates in the gypsum core that slow calcination and maintain integrity under fire exposure longer than regular board.

The 'defensible space' theory, developed by Oscar Newman, focuses primarily on which design aspect?

Answer: Reducing crime through territorial design and natural surveillance

Newman's defensible space theory posits that environmental design can deter crime by fostering residents' sense of ownership and enabling natural surveillance.

An accessible parking space required by the ADA must have a minimum width of:

Answer: 8 feet

ADA Standards require accessible parking spaces to be at least 8 feet wide, with an adjacent access aisle of at least 5 feet.

An architecture review board (ARB) is best described as:

Answer: A governance body that ensures architecture decisions comply with enterprise standards

An ARB is a governance body that reviews and approves architectural decisions, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards and principles.

What is the role of technology in modern architectural design?

Answer: It improves design accuracy and efficiency through modeling and simulations

Technology plays a transformative role in modern architectural design by significantly improving accuracy and efficiency. Tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) allow architects to create detailed 3D models, perform complex simulations, and detect potential conflicts before construction begins. This integration of technology streamlines the design process, enhances collaboration, and leads to more innovative and precise architectural solutions.

A solution architect is assigned to a new project to replace a legacy CRM system. The business has provided a high-level goal: "Improve customer engagement." What is the most critical initial activity the solution architect must undertake in the solution architecture process?

Answer: Decompose the high-level goal into specific, measurable business requirements and constraints with key stakeholders.

The solution architecture process must begin with a deep and precise understanding of the business problem. The vague goal "improve customer engagement" needs to be translated into concrete, testable requirements (e.g., "reduce customer service call handling time by 30%," "provide a 360-degree view of the customer to sales agents"). Without this foundational step, any technology selection or design is based on assumptions and is highly likely to fail to meet the actual business needs.

A firm adopts generative design tools to explore structural system options. To maximize the strategic value of this technology, outputs should be:

Answer: Filtered through professional engineering and cost judgment before presenting a curated set of viable options

Generative design produces many options, but professional expertise is required to filter outputs for structural feasibility, code compliance, and cost viability before presenting them.

In a distributed system implementing the Saga pattern for a long-running transaction, one of the local transactions fails. What is the primary mechanism used by the Saga pattern to ensure data consistency across the services?

Answer: A series of compensating transactions are executed to undo the changes made by preceding successful transactions.

The core principle of the Saga pattern for failure management is the use of compensating transactions. If a local transaction in the sequence fails, the saga executes a series of compensating transactions in reverse order to undo the work completed by the previous successful local transactions, thereby maintaining data consistency.

What are building codes in architectural design?

Answer: Regulations ensuring safety, health, accessibility, and efficiency

Building codes are legal regulations that set minimum standards for the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings. Their purpose is to ensure public safety, health, and welfare by addressing structural integrity, fire safety, accessibility, and energy efficiency. Adherence to these codes is mandatory and critical for preventing hazards and creating safe, habitable environments.

In a polyglot persistence architecture, what guides the selection of different database technologies for different services?

Answer: Choosing the best-fit database type for each service based on its specific workload and access pattern

Polyglot persistence selects the most appropriate database technology (relational, document, graph, key-value, time-series, etc.) for each service's specific use case and data access pattern.

When conducting a build-versus-buy analysis for a platform component, which factor most strongly favors building custom software?

Answer: The capability represents a unique competitive differentiator with no suitable vendor product

Building custom software is justified when the capability provides unique competitive advantage that no existing vendor product can adequately deliver.

During value engineering, the structural engineer recommends eliminating a feature the historic preservation board requires. Who should the architect notify first?

Answer: The client, while simultaneously alerting the preservation board of the potential issue

The client must be informed first as the decision-maker, and the preservation board should be alerted simultaneously because their approval is a regulatory requirement.

Under AIA A201, a contractor's application for payment must be certified by the architect. What is the architect's responsibility in this process?

Answer: Represent that work has progressed to the point indicated and is in accordance with the contract

By certifying a payment application, the architect represents to the owner that, to the best of their knowledge, the work described has progressed as indicated and quality meets contract requirements.

A system uses a load balancer to distribute requests across ten servers. Beyond performance, which quality attribute does this architecture MOST directly support?

Answer: Availability

Load balancing across multiple servers means that if one server fails, others continue handling requests, improving overall availability.

Which security principle in platform architecture states that each component or user should have only the minimum access rights necessary to perform its function?

Answer: Principle of least privilege

The principle of least privilege limits access rights for users, accounts, and processes to only those strictly required for their intended function.

A master architect is analyzing a legacy system that uses tight coupling between components. Which quality attribute is MOST negatively impacted by tight coupling?

Answer: Modifiability

Tight coupling reduces modifiability because changes to one component force cascading changes in dependent components.

What is the importance of using sustainable construction materials?

Answer: To conserve natural resources and improve energy efficiency

Sustainable construction materials are vital for minimizing the environmental impact of buildings. By using materials that are renewable, recycled, or have low embodied energy, we conserve finite natural resources and reduce waste. These materials often contribute to better insulation and reduced energy consumption during the building's operation, leading to a more environmentally responsible and cost-effective structure over its lifespan.