What is the architecture review request form template?
Architecture reviews work best when reviewers arrive knowing what the system is for, how it's put together and what the team is unsure about. Too often the first half of the meeting is spent explaining the basics, and the hard questions never get asked.
This request form covers four areas: the context, including review type, business goals, requirements and constraints; the design, with components, data flows, diagrams, integrations, stack, hosting and data sensitivity; quality attributes such as security, scalability, availability, recovery targets, resilience, monitoring and running cost; and alternatives considered, risks, open questions and which expertise is needed.
It doesn't replace a design document, but it makes sure the key points are captured in a consistent shape. Each request is saved as a PDF in your FileIt vault with its diagrams, giving you a history of reviewed designs.
- Best for
- Architecture review boards, platform teams and engineering leads
- Filled in by
- The engineer or tech lead proposing the design
- Time to complete
- 20-30 minutes, longer for a large system
- Includes
- Review type, diagram upload, data classification with privacy follow-up, quality attributes, alternatives, open questions and expertise needed
Who uses a architecture review request form?
- A new customer-facing service before build starts
- A major re-platforming or migration to the cloud
- A production readiness review before go-live
- Choosing between vendors or technologies
- Integrating with a partner's system or API
- Building a record of reviewed designs and decisions
Questions on this architecture review request form
32 questions over 4 pages · includes file upload, conditional questions, multiple pages.
1 Request & context
- Requested by*
- Email*
- Team*
- System or project name*
- Type of review* New system or service · Major change to an existing system · Production readiness review · Technology or vendor selection · Integration with another system
- Review needed by
- Link to design document
- Business context and goals*
- Key requirements
- Constraints
2 Design
- Main components*
- Data flows*
- Architecture diagrams
- External integrations and APIs
- Technology stack
- Hosting* Public cloud · On-premises · Hybrid · SaaS provided by a vendor
- Most sensitive data handled* Public · Internal · Confidential · Restricted or personal data
- Has a privacy or data protection assessment been done? asked only when it applies Yes · In progress · No · Not sure if needed
3 Quality attributes
- Security*
- Scalability and performance
- Availability target
- Recovery time and data loss tolerance
- Resilience and disaster recovery
- Monitoring, logging and alerting
- Estimated monthly running cost
- Who will run it in production?
4 Alternatives & questions
- Alternatives considered*
- Known risks and trade-offs
- Open questions for the reviewers*
- Expertise needed in the review Security · Infrastructure and cloud · Data and databases · Enterprise or solution architecture · Networking · Privacy or compliance
- Planned go-live
- Where is the design? Early idea · Draft design · Design mostly final · Already being built
The architecture review request form, page by page
1 Request & context
The requester, email, team and system or project name are required, along with the type of review: new system, major change, production readiness, technology selection or integration. A review date and design document link are optional. Business context and goals are required, with key requirements and constraints.
2 Design
Main components and data flows are required. Architecture diagrams can be uploaded, with external integrations and the technology stack described. Hosting and the most sensitive data handled are required; restricted or personal data asks whether a privacy assessment has been done.
3 Quality attributes
Security is required, covering authentication, authorisation, encryption and secrets. Scalability and performance, availability target, recovery time and data loss tolerance, resilience, monitoring, estimated monthly running cost and who will run it in production complete the page.
4 Alternatives & questions
Alternatives considered, including doing nothing or buying rather than building, and open questions for reviewers are required. Known risks, the expertise needed in the review, planned go-live and how far along the design is help the board plan the session.
Make the template yours
- Match the review types to your architecture governance process
- Add your principles or standards as a checklist the requester confirms
- Make diagrams required for new systems
- Send notifications to the architecture board's mailbox
- Add a decision record section if the review outcome is captured in the same form
Tips for a better architecture review request form
- Ask for a review while the design can still change
- Be specific about open questions; that's where reviewers add the most value
- Include rejected alternatives and why
- Show data flows for personal or confidential data clearly
- Write down the outcome and decisions after the review
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
Each request is saved as a PDF in your FileIt vault with the diagrams attached, ready to circulate to reviewers before the session.
The Responses table lists requests by system, review type and go-live date, and exports to CSV for the board's agenda.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Architecture review request form: frequently asked questions
Is this architecture review request template free?
Yes. It's included in the FileIt Forms app on every account, including the free plan, and every question can be edited, removed or added to in the form designer.
Does this replace a design document?
No. It captures the key points in a consistent format and links to the full design document if there is one.
Can I upload diagrams?
Yes. Up to five PDF, image or Word files can be attached on the Design page.
Why are alternatives required?
Knowing what was considered and rejected helps reviewers focus on the real trade-offs rather than suggesting options already ruled out.
Does the form record the review outcome?
Not by default. You can add a decision section or keep the outcome as a separate record in your vault.
Do engineers need a FileIt account to fill it in?
No. Anyone with the form's link can submit it without creating an account. You can also email personal links to specific people.