▁until ▁the ▁hardware ▁system ▁is ▁accepted ▁by ▁the ▁user : ▁the ▁architect ▁is ▁the ▁best ▁ins urance ▁that ▁no ▁changes ▁and ▁interpret ations ▁made ▁during ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁development ▁comprom ise ▁the ▁user ' s ▁view point . ▁ ▁Cost – ben ef it ▁anal ys es ▁Most ▁hardware ▁engine ers ▁are ▁special ists . ▁ ▁They ▁know ▁the ▁applications ▁of ▁hardware ▁design ▁and ▁development ▁int imately , ▁apply ▁their ▁knowledge ▁to ▁practical ▁situations — that ▁is , ▁solve ▁real ▁world ▁problems , ▁evaluate ▁the ▁cost – ben ef its ▁of ▁various ▁solutions ▁within ▁their ▁hardware ▁special ty , ▁and ▁ensure ▁the ▁correct ▁operation ▁of ▁whatever ▁they ▁design . ▁ ▁Hard ware ▁architect s ▁are ▁general ists . ▁ ▁They ▁are ▁not ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁exper ts ▁in ▁any ▁one ▁hardware ▁technology ▁or ▁approach , ▁but ▁are ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁knowledge able ▁of ▁many , ▁and ▁able ▁to ▁judge ▁their ▁applic ability ▁to ▁specific ▁situations . ▁ ▁They ▁also ▁apply ▁their ▁knowledge ▁to ▁practical ▁situations , ▁but ▁evaluate ▁the ▁cost / ben ef its ▁of ▁various ▁solutions ▁using ▁different ▁hardware ▁techn ologies , ▁for ▁example , ▁spe cially ▁developed ▁versus ▁commer cially ▁available ▁hardware ▁components , ▁and ▁ass ure ▁that ▁the ▁system ▁as ▁a ▁whole ▁performs ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁user ' s ▁expect ations . ▁ ▁Many ▁commercial - off - the - sh elf ▁or ▁already ▁developed ▁hardware ▁components ▁may ▁be ▁selected ▁independently ▁according ▁to ▁constraints ▁such ▁as ▁cost , ▁response , ▁through put , ▁etc . ▁ ▁In ▁some ▁cases ,