Architectural Katasλ︎
An architectural kata is a deliberate practice technique to grow experience and skills with respect to architectural design.
A challenge is selected (or assigned), discussed and a solution presented - usually in a group setting.
The Architectural Katas website generates kata challenges to solve as well as the recommended rules to maximise the value of the activity.
Kata: Mock Internet UN
Organization running "Mock UN" events wants to take its events online, permitting students to participate online
Requirements: student-diplomats must be able to video-chat with one another; student-diplomats must be able to "give speeches" to the "assembly" (video-chat to the entire group); (mocked) world events (created by moderators) distributed via (mock) "news sites"; moderators must be able to monitor any video chat for appropriateness
Users: 500 or so "diplomats" per "mock UN" gathering; dozens of moderators per "mock UN"; many "mock UN"s simultaneously; no new hardware requirements on students
A kata is a technique from martial arts training, encouraging repetition of actions to increase skill.
Related: Code kata
Code kata encourages the same challenge to be solved in several different ways, to grow experience with solving a solution with a programming language.
Group practiceλ︎
The architectural kata technique can be used within a group setting, with one or more groups.
Groups of 3 to 5 people tend to be the most effective, especially where there are a good mixture of experiences.
Architectural kata workshops are commonly run at technical conferences and Ted Neward has run many of these workshops