The Architecture Review Board (ARB) is a team of experienced IT professionals from Department of Technology and Information (DTI). They evaluate detailed designs, which are needed prior to building a new IT solution based on an approved Business Case. They evaluate modifications to previously approved designs via a process called System Design Reviews. Finally, they evaluate conceptual designs as part of the State’s Approval to Sign a Contract process.
 
If you have questions regarding the ARB, please contact your DTI Customer Engagement Specialist.
 

When do I submit requests to the ARB?

1. Approval to Sign a Contract
   When you need approval to sign a contract and/or a cloud T&Cs review to develop/implement an IT solution with an approved Business Case, you will need to submit an ‘Approval to Sign a Contract’ request in ServiceNow.
2. Detailed Design Review
   A Detailed Design Review by the ARB is needed prior to building a new IT solution based on an approved Business Case. The project will need to submit a ‘Detailed Design Review’ request for the ARB to review and approve the software and network/system design prior to the solution being built.
3. System Design Review
   When ARB approval is needed for modifications to a previously approved design, a system design review request needs to be submitted in ServiceNow.

When is a waiver needed?

A waiver is needed whenever a statewide IT standard or Policy is violated. Any gross deviation from best practices that threatens the security of critical information and or system.
 

When can I expect a response from the ARB?

The ARB meets every Tuesday to review requests that were submitted the prior week. Thus, it might take 3-7 business days, before you have a response.

Templates

The State’s Architecture Review Board (ARB) developed the below templates as a way of consistently collecting information about the solutions that the State was planning to deploy or use. These ARB templates are often associated with the State’s business case review process that evaluates all IT projects in the State. Thus, State of Delaware organizations may require vendors to provide information in the ARB template ‘format’ in RFPs or contractual processes. Below is a short description of each of the ARB templates and a link to each template pdf.

Data Models – This template specifies the information and format(s) that the State will accept for documenting the data models for State data associated with the solution.

Network – This template specifies the type of network information that the State is expecting to evaluate. The ARB Network Stencil has been created to assist in documenting the required details of objects on the ARB Network Template.

Software – This template provides the information and format for listing the software associated with the solution.

Related Topics:  ARB, Data Models, Network, Software