Imagine being asked to give UX feedback on a system workflow document and realizing you can’t understand a word of it. This is exactly what happened to me.
As an IT support officer, I could put myself in the user’s perspective and point out friction points, but this document had no visuals, no simple explanations, just walls of back-end jargon: Service mesh, container orchestration, async queues, REST APIs… you name it.
I quickly realized: if someone like me was struggling to understand this, so would PMS, front-end devs, new hires, and even other IT staff.
Here’s a practical guide to creating system architecture documents that anyone on your team can read and use:
Step 1: Show the system from different angles
A good Doctor of Architecture isn’t just a list of tech terms. Think about who is reading:
A. Visualization (PM/UX/Business People)
What the system does for the user.
Example: “User Authentication System,” “Checkout Service”
Focus on customer value and business goals.
B. Component View (Front End Developers/IT Staff)
C. Operational View (Backward/Doops)
Where and how the system operates.
Example: Servers, databases, cloud setup, scaling.
Focus on infrastructure and deployment.
That way, everyone can know what’s relevant to their character without getting lost in the technical weeds.
Step 2: Draw the diagram star
Words just don’t cut it. Diagrams help people visualize the system, especially if they are not experts.
Types of diagrams to include
System context diagram: Shows the system and its external dependencies. UX/PM/IT staff can see how it touches users and other systems.
Container Diagram: Likes central boundaries “Web App,” “Auth API,” “Database.” Both front-end and back-end teams benefit.
UML/Component Diagram: Shows internal structure or interaction. Mostly back-end focus, but helps everyone understand the flow.
Indications: Even PowerPoint, Figma, or a simple hand-drawn flowchart is better than none. Clarity is more important than perfection.
Diagram help:
UX looks at user impact.
The front end knows which services to include.
Oversees back-end infrastructure and interactions.
Everyone shares the same mental image.
Example 1: System context diagram
This diagram illustrates who uses the system (a person on the web) and what external services it relies on, such as Stripe for payments and sending emails. It does not show the inner workings of the system it connects to.
Example 2: Container diagram
This diagram illustrates the main components of the system: the web app, which is the user interface; AUTH API responsible for handling login and security; and the user database, where user profiles are stored. Arrows indicate how these components interact with each other.
Practical tip: Tools for creating clear architecture documents.
Step 3: Translate the tech into user-relevant results
The system architecture goes beyond databases and queues, focusing on making users fast, reliable and secure. Link technical requirements to outcomes everyone can understand:
| the need | ❌ Technical jargon | ✅ User result |
| Scalability | Kubernetes for Container Orchestration | Can handle daily users without slowing down. |
| performance | CDN + Caching | Pages load in less than 500ms, no “loading” screens. |
| Security | TLS 1.3 for data transfer | User data is protected; Access to PII (Personally Identifiable Information) only to authorized systems.. |
Even a person with basic UX awareness can see why tech decisions matter.
Step 4: Clarify the communication
A major source of confusion is how different parts of the system talk to each other. Spell it out:
a) Frontend ↔ Backend: Clearly define how your frontend connects to the backend.
Example: “The website sends login requests to the AUTH API.”
b) Backend ↔ Background: Specify whether services communicate with each other immediately (synchronously) or via message queues (asynchronously) through background tasks. This helps the team understand why some actions feel immediate to users, while others take time.
Even non-backend readers can follow the flow and understand how it affects the product.
Step 5: Keep it simple and consistent
Use headings, bullet points, and a table of contents. Don’t write a novel.
Keep names constant: “Customer Service” The text in the diagram should match the labels.
Explain the “why” behind major decisions:
“We chose NOSQL DB for user profiles because it requires fast read/write for non-relational data.”
Consistency and simplicity make DOC useful for everyone, not just background experts.
Great architecture documents live where your team already works and use tools that are easy to update, share, and understand. Below are teams of common types of tools used, grouped by purpose.
Documentation platforms (where you write full docs)
You can use these tools to create text, diagrams, and documents into a document.
Google Docs
Easy, familiar and collaborative. Supports real-time comments, history editing, and easy sharing. Perfect if your team already uses Gmail or Drive. Paste diagrams as images only.
The confluence
Common in large companies. Integrates with JIRA, supports page templates, and lets you embed diagrams. Good for structured knowledge bases.
idea
Flexible workspaces for small teams. Mix documents, tasks and diagrams in one place. Great if your team uses the concept for other work.
GitHub/Gitlab Wikis (with Markdown)
Ideal for engineering heavy teams. Documentation stays with your code, and you can add diagrams using simple code (like Mermaid). Changes are tracked like code.
Start with Google Docs If you are not sure. A living doctor’s people who actually read is better than a “perfect” one who doesn’t open up.
Diagramming tools (where you create visuals)
These help you draw the architecture diagrams that you will add to your documentation platform.
draw.io
Free, browser-based, and drag-and-drop easy. No signup required. Exports clean PNG/SVG files you can paste into documents or concatenations. Great for C4-style diagrams (system context, container, and so on).
Figma
If your team already uses Figma for design, you can create architecture diagrams using basic shapes and arrows. Real-time commenting makes feedback easy. Export as PNG for documents only.
Mermaid (diagram as code)
Like write simple text User --> Web Appand it becomes a diagram. Works with tools like GitHub, Gitlab, and Ossidian. use Mermaid Live Editor To design, then download and paste into Google Docs.
An important insight from practicing architects.
Avoid tools Produce static images only (like PowerPoint, Canva, or basic whiteboards) for anything beyond quick sketches. If the same service appears in three diagrams and you change its name, you’ll have to manually update all three, creating outdated and inconsistent documentation.
How do they work together?
Write your doctor in Google Docs (or your team’s existing platform).
Create diagrams in draw.io or Figma (or try Mermaid if you’re curious).
Paste the diagram into your doc, add alt text, and explain what it shows in plain language.
This combo delivers accessibility, support and retention without overwhelming you or your team.
The result
You don’t need to be a senior engineer to write great architecture documents. All you need is clarity, empathy, and a willingness to explain “why.”