High Level Design Review
High Level Design Review (HLDR) is a systematic process in software development where stakeholders evaluate the overall architecture and design of a system before detailed implementation begins. It focuses on assessing the feasibility, scalability, maintainability, and alignment of the design with business requirements and technical constraints. This review helps identify potential risks, gaps, and improvements early in the development lifecycle.
Developers should conduct HLDRs when starting new projects, major feature additions, or system refactors to ensure the design is robust and cost-effective. It is crucial for complex systems, distributed architectures, or when integrating with existing infrastructure to avoid costly rework and ensure technical debt is minimized. Use cases include cloud migration planning, microservices adoption, and compliance with security or regulatory standards.