Skip to main content

​
Overview

The arckit strategy command synthesises insights from multiple strategic artifacts (principles, stakeholders, Wardley maps, roadmap, business case) into a single coherent executive-level Architecture Strategy document.

​
Command Syntax

arckit strategy "<project ID or focus>"

​
Arguments

​
focus
string
required
Project ID or strategic focus, e.g. 001, cloud-first strategy, digital transformation strategy

​
What It Creates

Generates a comprehensive executive-level Architecture Strategy document:
  • File: projects/{NNN}-{project-name}/ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-STRAT-v1.0.md
  • Document ID: ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-STRAT-v1.0
  • Content: Architecture Strategy synthesising all strategic artifacts (typically 350-500 lines)

​
Prerequisites

MANDATORY: Must run arckit principles AND arckit stakeholders first. Strategy cannot be created without understanding both the decision framework and the stakeholder drivers.
RECOMMENDED: Also run arckit wardley (for technology evolution), arckit roadmap (for timeline), arckit sobc (for investment), and arckit risk (for strategic risks).

​
Strategy Document Structure

​
1. Executive Summary

  • Strategic Vision: 2-3 paragraphs articulating the transformation vision
  • Strategic Context: Business challenge, opportunity, investment, risk appetite
  • Key Strategic Decisions: Build vs buy, cloud strategy, vendor strategy, integration approach
  • Strategic Outcomes: 5 measurable outcomes that will define success

​
2. Strategic Drivers (from stakeholders)

  • Summarise top 5-7 business drivers with stakeholder ownership
  • List external drivers (regulatory, market, technology, competitive)
  • Include stakeholder power/interest grid

​
3. Guiding Principles (from principles)

  • Summarise foundational, technology, and governance principles
  • Show strategic implications of each principle
  • Include principles compliance summary

​
4. Current State Assessment

  • Technology landscape overview
  • Capability maturity baseline (L1-L5)
  • Technical debt summary
  • SWOT analysis

​
5. Target State Vision

  • Future architecture description
  • Capability maturity targets
  • Architecture vision diagram (Mermaid)

​
6. Technology Evolution Strategy (from Wardley maps)

  • Strategic positioning (Genesis → Commodity)
  • Build vs buy decisions table
  • Technology radar summary (Adopt/Trial/Assess/Hold)

​
7. Strategic Themes & Investment Areas

Define 3-5 strategic themes (e.g., Cloud Migration, Data Modernisation, Security) For each theme:
  • Objective
  • Investment
  • Initiatives
  • Success criteria
  • Principles alignment

​
8. Delivery Roadmap Summary (from roadmap)

  • Strategic timeline (Mermaid Gantt)
  • Phase summary table
  • Key milestones

​
9. Investment Summary

Cross-reference the SOBC (Strategic Outline Business Case) if available. Include only: total investment envelope (single figure), investment horizon, and a “See SOBC for detailed financial analysis” note.Do NOT duplicate NPV, IRR, BCR, payback, benefits realisation, or year-by-year breakdowns — these belong in the SOBC.

​
10. Strategic Risks & Mitigations (from risk register)

  • Top 5-7 strategic risks with mitigations
  • Risk heat map (ASCII or Mermaid)
  • Assumptions and constraints

​
11. Success Metrics & KPIs

  • Strategic KPIs with baseline and targets by year
  • Leading indicators (early warning)
  • Lagging indicators (final proof)

​
12. Governance Model

  • Governance structure (forums, frequency, participants)
  • Decision rights
  • Review cadence

​
13. Traceability

  • List source documents with document IDs
  • Traceability matrix: Driver → Goal → Outcome → Theme → Principle → KPI

​
14. Next Steps & Recommendations

  • Immediate actions (30 days)
  • Short-term actions (90 days)
  • Recommended follow-on artifacts with ArcKit commands

​
Synthesis from Source Artifacts

The strategy command reads and synthesises from:
1

Architecture Principles (MANDATORY)

Extract: Guiding principles, decision framework, technology standardsSource: projects/000-global/ARC-000-PRIN-v*.md
2

Stakeholder Analysis (MANDATORY)

Extract: Stakeholder drivers, goals, measurable outcomes, conflicts, engagement strategiesSource: projects/{project}/ARC-{PID}-STKE-v*.md
3

Wardley Maps (RECOMMENDED)

Extract: Component evolution, build vs buy positioning, technology radarSource: projects/{project}/wardley-maps/ARC-{PID}-WARD-v*.md
4

Architecture Roadmap (RECOMMENDED)

Extract: Timeline, phases, milestones, investment by year, capability evolutionSource: projects/{project}/ARC-{PID}-ROAD-v*.md
5

Strategic Outline Business Case (RECOMMENDED)

Extract: Investment figures, NPV, IRR, payback period, benefits timelineSource: projects/{project}/ARC-{PID}-SOBC-v*.md
6

Risk Register (OPTIONAL)

Extract: Strategic risks, mitigations, risk appetiteSource: projects/{project}/ARC-{PID}-RISK-v*.md

​
Traceability Example

Every element of the strategy links back to source documents: 
Stakeholder Driver (CFO: Reduce costs - FINANCIAL, HIGH)
  → Strategic Theme: Cloud Cost Optimization
    → Architecture Principle: Cloud-Native (from ARC-000-PRIN-v1.0)
      → Technology Evolution: AWS/Azure Commodity (from Wardley Map)
        → Roadmap Timeline: FY 2024/25 Migration Phase (from ARC-001-ROAD-v1.0)
          → Investment: £2M savings by FY 2026/27 (from ARC-001-SOBC-v1.0)
            → Risk: R-003 Cloud costs exceed budget (from ARC-001-RISK-v1.0)
              → KPI: 40% infrastructure cost reduction by FY 2026/27

​
UK Government Specifics

For UK Government projects, the strategy document includes GDS Service Standard (Discovery/Alpha/Beta/Live phases), Technology Code of Practice (13 points), NCSC CAF (security maturity), Cross-Government Services (GOV.UK Pay, Notify, Design System), and G-Cloud/DOS procurement alignment.

​
Included for UK Gov:

  • Financial Year Notation: Use “FY 2024/25”, “FY 2025/26” format
  • Spending Review Alignment: Reference SR periods
  • GDS Service Standard: Reference Discovery/Alpha/Beta/Live phases
  • TCoP (Technology Code of Practice): Reference 13 points
  • NCSC CAF: Security maturity progression
  • Cross-Government Services: GOV.UK Pay, Notify, Design System
  • G-Cloud/DOS: Procurement alignment

​
MOD Specifics

For Ministry of Defence projects, the strategy includes JSP 440 (Defence project management alignment), Security Clearances (BPSS, SC, DV requirements), IAMM (security maturity progression), and JSP 936 (AI assurance if applicable).

​
Mermaid Diagram Requirements

Include at least 2 Mermaid diagrams:
  1. Architecture Vision Diagram (graph/flowchart showing target architecture)
  2. Strategic Timeline (Gantt chart showing phases and milestones)
Syntax Rules:
  • ✅ Gantt: Use dateFormat YYYY-MM-DD, no <br/> in task names
  • ✅ Flowcharts: Node labels can use <br/>, edge labels cannot
  • ✅ Use subgraphs for architecture layers

​
Command Handoffs

​
Create Detailed Requirements

arckit requirements
Create detailed requirements from the strategic direction defined in the strategy.

​
Expand Roadmap

arckit roadmap
Expand strategic timeline into detailed roadmap with phases and initiatives.

​
Create Architecture Vision Diagrams

arckit diagram
Create detailed architecture vision diagrams from the target state.

​
Gap Identification

If recommended documents are missing, the strategy document includes a “Gaps” section noting what additional artifacts would strengthen the strategy.Example: “A Wardley Map would improve build vs buy decisions” or “A Risk Register would provide strategic risk context.”

​
Important Notes

The strategy document is typically 350-500 lines. The command uses the Write tool to create the file and shows only a summary to avoid token limits.

​
Key Concepts

  • Synthesis, Not Generation: This command synthesises existing artifacts into a coherent narrative. It should NOT generate new information but rather consolidate and present existing strategic decisions.
  • Mandatory Prerequisites: Unlike other commands, this command has TWO mandatory prerequisites (principles AND stakeholders). Strategy cannot be created without understanding both the decision framework and the stakeholder drivers.
  • Executive Audience: The strategy document is intended for executive stakeholders (CTO, CIO, Strategy Board). Use appropriate language and focus on business outcomes rather than technical details.
  • Traceability is Critical: Every element of the strategy should trace back to source documents. This ensures the strategy is grounded in agreed artifacts, not assumptions.
  • Principles Compliance: Show how each strategic theme aligns to specific principles. This demonstrates that strategy is principles-driven.
  • Version Management: If a strategy already exists (ARC--STRAT-v.md), create a new version (v2.0) rather than overwriting. Strategies should be versioned to track evolution.

​
Integration with Other Commands

Strategy feeds into:
  • arckit requirements - Detailed requirements
  • arckit roadmap - Expanded timeline
  • arckit plan - Project delivery
Strategy is informed by:
  • arckit principles - Decision framework (MANDATORY)
  • arckit stakeholders - Business drivers (MANDATORY)
  • arckit wardley - Technology evolution (RECOMMENDED)
  • arckit sobc - Investment (RECOMMENDED)
  • arckit risk - Strategic risks (OPTIONAL)

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us