Examining interactions between process architecture and architectural impulses

When designing complex systems, a design process may be subjected to a variety of stochastic inputs. These stochastic inputs can alter the system's converged equilibrium, stability, transient response or convergence path. In this paper, we broadly characterize stochastic inputs into a design process as design impulses. We categorize them into three classes based on how they interact with the design system: local impulses, external impulses and architectural impulses. We explicitly define design impulses and each of these impulse types. We then empirically investigate architectural impulses using simulation. Based on these simulations, we suggest and examine strategies to mitigate the impact of architectural impulses on a design process.