---
title: "Design for Modern Quality Attributes"
source: "https://virtualddd.com/heuristics/design-for-modern-quality-attributes/"
authors: ["Anne-Marie Charrett"]
tags: ["quality", "software architecture", "software design"]
type: "design heuristics"
question: "What non-functional attributes are critical for maintaining quality in complex, modern systems?"
submitter: "Anne-Marie Charrett"
---

# Design for Modern Quality Attributes

Treat testability, observability, and recoverability as first-class design concerns, not afterthoughts. A system that cannot be easily tested, understood in production, or quickly restored is inherently low-quality. Build in the necessary instrumentation, APIs, and deployment mechanisms from the start.

## Example

During the design phase for a new service, we must explicitly define how it will be observed via metrics and distributed tracing. The design is not considered complete until these aspects are addressed.