What is the primary purpose of a system's architecture?

The primary purpose of a system's architecture is to define the structure and organization of a system. This involves laying out how different components of the system interact with each other, the relationships and dependencies between those components, and the overall framework within which the system operates. By providing a clear blueprint of the system’s structure, architecture ensures that all system parts work cohesively toward the intended goals, integrating hardware and software effectively.

In contrast, focusing on cost considerations is important for project feasibility but doesn’t directly address the design or foundational structure of the system. Specifying user interface designs and protocols is a critical component of system design, but it falls under implementation details rather than the overarching architecture. Managing project timelines and objectives relates more to project management than to the architectural considerations that guide how a system is built and structured.