In this chapter, we followed the development of an architecture from a simple concept through to Level 1 and then recursively to Level 2. The main point is that there is a process to go from ­Level N to Level N+1, which can be applied in expanding the concept to Level 1, and equally well in expanding Level 1 to Level 2. Because the really important information about the ­relationships among the Level 1 entities are hidden at Level 2, we must probe down two levels, identify the relationships of interest, and then cluster at Level 1.

We have come to the end of Part 2 of the text, in which we described the entire process of analysis of an architecture: defining the form and structure (Chapter 4); the functional architecture of processes and operands (Chapter 5); the mapping of form to function (Chapter 6); the identification of solution-neutral function and concept (Chapter 7); and the development of Level 1 and Level 2 architectures and their modularization at Level 1 (Chapter 8). This analysis was built upon the lessons from Part 1 on system thinking (Chapter 2) and thinking about complex systems (Chapter 3).

We now have a strong foundation on which to discuss the creation of architecture. We will transition to a discussion focused on generating new architectures, in the context of real-world complexity.