Build It the Right Way: The 8 Pillars of ServiceNow Architecture

[BillMartin]

When I started working with ServiceNow, I was focused on making things work—forms, workflows, automations. If they ran without errors, that was a win. But over time, especially in large-scale environments, I learned something important:

Making things work is only half the job.

The real challenge is building solutions that still work next year, when your team changes, your data grows, or your platform upgrades.

That’s where architecture comes in. And not just technical architecture—but principles that guide how you build, scale, and govern your platform.

I’d like to share the Eight Pillars of ServiceNow Architecture that have shaped how I design ServiceNow today. These aren’t rules—they’re lived lessons. They’ve helped me recover broken implementations, scale with confidence, and avoid painful rework.

First is modularity and reusability. I used to copy-paste business logic across multiple flows and scripts, thinking it saved time. But each copy was a risk. One change meant five fixes. Now, I build once and reuse. A utility Script Include, a custom Flow Action—built properly, it becomes a building block for everything else.

Then there’s security by design. I’ve seen too many integrations built in a hurry, with no token validation, wide-open endpoints, and no access controls. It’s tempting to skip security when a demo is due, but I’ve learned to make it part of every decision from the start.

Scalability and performance often come up after something breaks—but by then, it’s harder to fix. I’ve learned to anticipate growth. That means designing for async processes, limiting GlideRecord loops, and always asking, “Will this still work if 1,000 users hit it at once?”

One of the most underestimated principles is observability. Can you see what’s happening inside your platform? Can you trace why something failed? I build logging into my architecture now—not because it’s fancy, but because it’s how we keep control when things go sideways.

Alignment with the business model is what turns a technical build into something meaningful. When the CMDB reflects real services, and your architecture ties into risks, changes, and strategy—you’re not just building software. You’re enabling the business.

Upgrade-safe architecture is another hard lesson. If you’ve ever scrambled after an upgrade broke half your flows, you’ll know why this matters. Scoped apps, system properties, extensible tables—these tools aren’t just technical—they’re protective. They let your platform evolve safely.

Separation of concerns helps everything stay clean. When logic, validation, and orchestration are all jumbled into one place, troubleshooting becomes guesswork. Keeping these responsibilities distinct brings clarity—not just to the system, but to the team working on it.

And finally, governance. It’s easy to dismiss governance as bureaucracy. But I’ve seen what happens when there’s none—naming chaos, conflicting logic, no release process. A little structure goes a long way. It’s how teams scale without losing consistency.

These eight pillars have become my reference points. I use them in every architectural review, every new build, and every time I have to explain why we’re doing something a certain way.

They’ve helped me shift from writing code that works to building platforms that last.

I recently recorded a video on this topic, sharing how each pillar connects to real-world patterns I’ve used in enterprise implementations. If you’d like to watch it, feel free to reach out or search for it on my channel, TechTalk with Bill.

If these principles resonate with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Which ones do you follow already? Which ones are still a work in progress?

Let’s keep building it the right way—together.