Which framework provides guidelines for describing software architectures?

The framework that provides guidelines for describing software architectures is IEEE-1471, also known as ISO/IEC 42010:2011. This standard outlines a structured approach to defining and describing the architecture of software systems. It focuses on the essential viewpoints and stakeholders in the architecture process, helping to ensure clarity and consistency in how software architectures are communicated and understood.

IEEE-1471 emphasizes the importance of viewpoints, which are perspectives through which a system can be viewed, and provides a way to document the architecture clearly for various stakeholders like developers, project managers, and clients. This formalized approach helps facilitate better communication and decision-making throughout the software development lifecycle.

In contrast, ISO 9001 is a standard for quality management systems and focuses on organizational processes, while the Agile Manifesto promotes agile methodologies and principles for software development rather than providing architectural guidelines. CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) is aimed at process improvement in an organization and does not specifically address software architecture frameworks. Each of these other options has a distinct focus that does not pertain to the formal description of software architectures as IEEE-1471 does.