Strategic Architect Framework: Microsoft CSA Training Program

Module 08: Capstone Workbook

Decision Latency & Architectural Leadership

Capstone purpose: This workbook integrates all seven prior modules into a single engagement scenario. You must pass all three program metrics simultaneously: Discovery Audit (3+ unstated business constraints surfaced), Jargon-Free Test (CFO explanation with ≤5 acronyms), and Consensus Score (4/5+ on feeling heard). All three metrics must reach “Ready” for program completion.

Your name

Completion date

Section A: Capstone Scenario: Meridian Financial Group

Situation Brief

Meridian Financial Group is a mid-size regional bank ($8B AUM) undergoing a core banking platform modernization. The project has been in planning for 14 months. Three architectural decisions remain open: (1) cloud-native rebuild vs. lift-and-shift for the core ledger, (2) microservices vs. modular monolith for the new transaction processing layer, and (3) on-premises data residency vs. Azure confidential computing for regulatory compliance. Each decision has an owner, a blocker, and a cost of latency estimated at $180,000/week in delayed time-to-market. The CTO is skeptical, the VP Engineering wants velocity, the CFO wants cost predictability, and the Compliance Lead is a shadow stakeholder who has informal veto power. The project sponsor is the CDO, who believes the architecture is ready to move, but cannot make the decision alone.

Section B: Module Integration Assessment

Module	Skill being applied in this capstone	Evidence from your scenario work
M01: Discovery	Surface unstated constraints from Meridian's situation brief
M02: Financial Fluency	Calculate cost of decision latency; frame CapEx/OpEx trade-offs
M03: Visual Communication	Create a diagram the CDO can present to the board without your help
M04: Influence Without Authority	Map the Compliance Lead as shadow stakeholder; design triangulation approach
M05: Objection Handling	Prepare for CTO skepticism using Tactical Empathy
M06: Radical Transparency	Draft a Red Update for the 14-month planning stall
M07: Narrative	Build an Elevator Vision the CDO can repeat to the board
M08: Decision Latency	Classify each open decision; run War Room; produce ADR

Section C: Decision Inventory

For each of the three open decisions, complete the classification and latency assessment.

Decision 1: Cloud-Native Rebuild vs. Lift-and-Shift (Core Ledger)

Classification

Latency risk if deferred 1 week

Decision owner

Primary blocker

One-sentence urgency framing (no technical terms)

Decision 2: Microservices vs. Modular Monolith (Transaction Layer)

Classification

Latency risk if deferred 1 week

Decision owner

Primary blocker

One-sentence urgency framing (no technical terms)

Decision 3: On-Premises Data Residency vs. Azure Confidential Computing

Classification

Latency risk if deferred 1 week

Decision owner

Primary blocker

One-sentence urgency framing (no technical terms)

Section D: Three Program Metrics Self-Assessment

Metric	Target	Ready?
Discovery Audit	3+ unstated business constraints surfaced from the Meridian scenario	Y / N
Jargon-Free Test	Explain the architecture to the Meridian CFO using ≤5 acronyms. Acronyms used:	Y / N
Consensus Score	4/5 or higher average from War Room participants	Y / N

Section E: Program Completion Reflection

Which module's framework changed how you will approach a real engagement in the next 90 days? What specifically will you do differently?

What is the single most important skill gap this program surfaced for you?

Name a real customer engagement where you will apply the War Room framework within 60 days.