Cloud architecture
When to use
Use for system context, reference architecture, sequence/fan-out, and swimlanes. Do not use for a board-level “so what” with no topology (Consulting or Executive).
Hallmarks
- Light technical board. Labeled boxes, not clip-art.
- Grouped boundaries (platform, account, trust edge) with a legend.
- Left-to-right or top-down flow. Number arrows when order matters.
- Generic cylinders, people, and rectangles. No vendor logos in this wiki.
- Whitespace around groups; do not pack like a consulting table.
Anti-patterns
- Unlabeled arrows.
- Every product icon on one slide with no request path.
- Dark wiki colors leaking into the diagram.
- Treating the diagram as decoration under a vague title.