Principles¶
How Defra decides. The DDTS doctrine sets the non-negotiables. The architecture principles apply them to technology change. The guardrails turn both into practical defaults for delivery teams.
flowchart TB
accTitle: From doctrine to delivery decisions
accDescr: The DDTS doctrine sets seven non-negotiables. The eight architecture principles apply the doctrine to technology change. The guardrails turn the principles into Must, Should and Could defaults. Delivery teams use the guardrails to decide, escalating only exceptions.
D["<b>DDTS doctrine</b><br/>7 non-negotiables<br/><i>draft, awaiting endorsement</i>"]
P["<b>Architecture principles</b><br/>8 principles<br/><i>how architecture applies the doctrine</i>"]
G["<b>Guardrails</b><br/>Must, Should and Could defaults<br/><i>what teams do in practice</i>"]
T["<b>Delivery decisions</b><br/>made by teams, recorded as ADRs"]
D --> P --> G --> T-
Seven non-negotiables for Digital, Data and Technology Services: platforms before projects, standards before exceptions, reuse before buy, data as an enterprise asset, assume AI, outcomes over structures, and digital first.
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Defra's eight Strategic Architecture Principles, with the rationale for each and how to follow it.
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The practical defaults that put the doctrine and principles into practice. Search them all in the guardrail library.
How to use them¶
- Making a decision? Start with the decision check. It tests your choice against the guardrails, which already reflect the doctrine and principles.
- No guardrail covers it? Ask which option best fits the principles, and which the doctrine would expect.
- Need an exception? The doctrine says standards come before exceptions, so explain why the default does not work in an exception request.
How the doctrine, principles and guardrails line up¶
Generated from the site's content each time it is published, so it always shows the current picture - including where guardrails are still thin.