SWIT Recap: Exploring the Future of Software Architecture with Prof. Dr. Olaf Zimmermann

On December 11th, the Constructor Institute of Technology hosted another insightful session of the "Schaffhausen Wednesdays in Technology" (SWIT) series. This week’s spotlight was on “Software Architecture at 32: Responsible Decision-Making or Prompt Engineering?” presented by Prof. Dr. Olaf Zimmermann.

Key Takeaways:

The Evolution of Software Architecture: From the 1990s to now, with the introduction of agile practices, managed cloud services, DevOps, and the rise of generative AI.

Generative AI in Architecture: Can AI fully handle architectural decision-making? Spoiler alert: No for core decisions, but "it depends" for other usage scenarios.

Ethics in Architecture: A fresh perspective on incorporating values like honesty, fairness, and sustainability into architectural requirements, design tactics, and API contracts.

The event concluded with a reflection on open research questions about responsible decision-making and value-driven design.

Thank you to Prof. Dr. Olaf Zimmermann for the thought-provoking session and to everyone who joined in person and online. Stay tuned for the next SWIT session — more innovation and knowledge sharing to come!