Field Notes · 4 March 2026
When an architecture diagram lies by omission
Pretty boxes hide the spreadsheets and side doors that actually route partner orders. Ask who reconciles exceptions.
Many architecture packs show services and arrows. Fewer show the human exception path—the spreadsheet that corrects prices after hours, or the shared inbox that reopens tickets the portal marked closed.
During Architecture Assessment we ask operations who reconciles those exceptions and how often. If the answer is vague, the diagram is incomplete. Rebuild plans that ignore exception paths tend to look tidy on paper and chaotic on Monday morning.
A practical fix: add an “exception owners” lane to the roadmap. It is unglamorous and prevents false confidence.