Architecture is not design
Architecting complex systems

We need to distinguish between a system architecture approach and a system design approach. Both the postures to be adopted and the techniques and methods to be implemented differ.

First of all, without getting bogged down in Byzantine quarrels or semantic disputes, let's make a few remarks about vocabulary. By comparing it with the English language, we can grasp the confusion we may be facing.

"Architecturer" is a French verb, not an English one (neologism in American English – non-existent entry in the Merriam Webster – and connoted software engineering in British English – "Design and configure (a program or system)" in the Oxford).

"Conceive" has no faithful translation in English; "to design" is the closest, but approximate translation (let's not talk about "to conceive" in English, which means above all to...