Who needs an architect?
Tuesday 22 November 2005 @ 11:14 am
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Who needs an architect? I came across this rather old article while I was searching for certifications that will lift my career, or the careers of my colleagues, into unexpected dimensions. We all know the Sun enterprise architect certification. We all also know the certification is nice as a piece of paper, a line in your curriculum, a commercial oriented added value but do we know the real value of such a certification? Does SCEA really take your career to the next level? The Sun variant is a vendor independent but technology driven approach to call yourself an architect. I was wondering, what other variants are there? And how do they compete or comply with SCEA?

Well, on one hand you can certify till the end of time, on the other hand finding a descent program seems to be a hell of a job. Every enterprise vendor has its own enterprise certification trail. Look at BEA, IBM and even JBoss. But what are these papers actually worth? And when going vendor, technology and even methodology independent, is it still possible to get you officially branded as an architect? My little research journey found exactly one organization that can act as a tattoo shop to get your certification logo’s : The OpenGroup, an ‘independent’ company running the Open Group IT Architect Program. This PDF describes how they think an architect should be skilled.

Back to the article. Let me quote a quote from the article: In most successful software projects, the expert developers working on that project have a shared understanding of the system design. This shared understanding is called ‘architecture’. and compare it with the OpenGroup definition: IT Architects develop architectures: the definition of the structures of an IT solution to a business problem. Is it me or can we call this slight difference of interpretation a gap?

Let’s map both definitions to SCEA: This certification is for enterprise architects responsible for architecting and designing Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) technology compliant applications, which are scalable, flexible and highly secure. I’m getting twisted. The shared understanding of system design, that has to meet certain criteria like being scalable (hey, my app will be used by only 10 designated users?), flexible (hey, may app is write once, run once, never touch it again?) and secure (hey, my app is for everyone, and I mean really everyone, who has spend time wasting energy to find my app?) needs to be defined in structures that solve a certain business problem! If this is the case, I’m out of it.

But still, the urge to re-dimension my career by certification is left unfilled. How do I become an architect who’s existence is not (explicitly) needed but who’s authority is branded in a simple shift of a t-shirts position showing an ugly painted tattoo telling yep this is an architect, look at the picture on his shoulder, who can help others solving problems by drawing (and setting-up/building in corporation with other expert developers!) the fundamentals of a solution? The OpenGroup approach gives a hint. Instead of way to many stupid multiple choice questions that need to be answered in order to get certified, their program is focused on proven experience and activities from the past. So, you can send them your track record, go through the process of certification, get weighted by all kind of committees, and become an architect. If they could only change their definition to get in line with Martin Fowlers article …..

So here’s what I did. On my left arm tattoo-bob has painted some nice looking tribals that are an Hawaiian translation of the definition of architecture, on my right arm tattoo-bob has painted every major vendor logo I could find and on my back tattoo-bob has written my curriculum. And whenever someone asks for my certifications, I take off my clothes and show them my ink. And if someone is asking which organization is behind my certification, all I have to do is point them to tattoo-bob!

— By Okke van 't Verlaat     PermaLink

14 Responses to “Who needs an architect?”

  1. ekrem aksoy Says:

    nice point! As a “software architect”, the guy behind the overall “software system architecture” of enterprise applications, I sometimes found myself in rather absurd situations like deciding the operational platforms or network req’s. Ok, I could manage these, but the question was “should I?” So I started to think about to certify myself(LoL) to align my career, or to proove myself I’m just a software engineer who is able to design from scratch. Thanx…you’re not the one thinks this way!

  2. Kit Davies Says:

    I think the main reason why people get hung up about the term ‘architect’ is because it is normally used to justify a big salary increase.

    Do we _need_ to precisely define the term? I’m not sure it helps really. In most cases, ‘architecture’ means precisely what the writer wants it to mean, nothing more, nothing less. In different contexts, it can mean the solution structure (it does where I am at the moment) or the shared understanding (it did where I used to work).

    So long as everyone in the context is using a similar definition, I don’t think it really matters.

    Regards
    Kit

  3. John Reynolds Says:

    I’ve been pondering similar thoughts, and here’s my take…

    We really do need IT Architects. The Architect should provide, evangelize, and protect a clear “vision” for the internal structure of the computing environment… is a solution doesn’t fit the vision, the Architect should have the power to veto it.

    The IT Architect is on par with the Business Architect (sometimes a Product Manager). The BA provides, evangelizes and protects a clear vision for the service or product that the company provides.

    Together, the two make sure that the company succeeds.

  4. Bill Says:

    In reality the label “Architect” is the business’ way of indicating authority over the business problem to technology mapping. The business needs someone accountable for taking the solution vision and speaking technical to the the engineering community. In real life this turns into a fracus because almost everyone in the food chain sees themselves that way. So if the business doesn’t annoint someone with the title a constant power struggle ensues. I’ve seen situations where person capable of enterprise architecture was unsuccessful because the business never stated that he was the enterprise architect. I’ve also seen someone totally incapable of architecture being relatively successful because the business put them in charge and they had great design engineers keeping them from falling on their face.

  5. Steven Murray Says:

    Great topic since acting as an architect I needed to explain to someone what my job was (since they wanted to know why I needed to know all the things I was asking). I found this, sort of tracks your blog.

    “Working within a project/account-based organization the Technical Architect is responsible for all aspects of the technology infrastructure design. In this role the Technical Architect is responsible for the capture of client requirements, translating these into technical solutions and designing the infrastructure solution across from Conceptual to Physical configuration. During this process the Architect will be responsible for selecting component pieces of the technology solution and ensuring that these component elements integrate with all other aspects of the technology solution. As the infrastructure solution is designed the Technical Architect in conjunction with the Solution Designer is responsible for the selection of hardware and systems software. Completion of Project Technical Designs: Creation of technology designs within the project/account starting from technology strategy moving through conceptual and logical to physical designs; Capture of client technical requirements; Definition of technology solution and recommendation of decision to procure/order. Technical Design Authority within a project responsible for: Conduct project/account design reviews; Review and approve project design deliverables; Contributes to definition of technical authority and the associated standards of work. Development of Client Technical Strategy: Definition of project/client technology strategy; Maintenance of developing technology within the marketplace. “

  6. James Says:

    Looks like you quoted this directly from your employee handbook - what a load of b*llocks..

    “Working within a project/account-based organization the Technical Architect is responsible for all aspects of the technology infrastructure design. In this role the Technical Architect is responsible for the capture of client requirements, translating these into technical solutions and designing the infrastructure solution across from Conceptual to Physical configuration. During this process the Architect will be responsible for selecting component pieces of the technology solution and ensuring that these component elements integrate with all other aspects of the technology solution. As the infrastructure solution is designed the Technical Architect in conjunction with the Solution Designer is responsible for the selection of hardware and systems software. Completion of Project Technical Designs: Creation of technology designs within the project/account starting from technology strategy moving through conceptual and logical to physical designs; Capture of client technical requirements; Definition of technology solution and recommendation of decision to procure/order. Technical Design Authority within a project responsible for: Conduct project/account design reviews; Review and approve project design deliverables; Contributes to definition of technical authority and the associated standards of work. Development of Client Technical Strategy: Definition of project/client technology strategy; Maintenance of developing technology within the marketplace. “

  7. Alwyn Says:

    Reality is that if you get hired as an Architect, you will be doing exactly what your employer thinks the meaning is of the word Architect, be they right or wrong.

  8. Scott Says:

    In that case, what makes a Business Architect? Its even harder to find that definition.

  9. gorgi Says:

    The problem in the IT-World (if it exists) is no one need to have university studium (master, bachelor) to be an archtect. In the auto or building industry you will never see some one without a hight recognised (by state in general)qualification or diplom who tells him self or becomes architect because he pass an exam organised by a big auto or building compagny. In this case the big compagnie must coorparate with state institution or recognised by them. In these Industries they will be no or rarely self-made-man or craftman who will take important design or construction decision, even if he anderstand very well a motor type or building (exception confirm rule).
    In this IT-World robust and solide Application will be forever a big challenge.

  10. Gaston Coco Says:

    Anyone can be called an Architect, but 1 out of 10 (maybe, it’s just my opinion) has the
    knowledge, the experience to be an Architect.
    In my current job, there are at least 3 or 4 people that call themselves architects…..but
    after seeing the kind of work they do, I’m telling you…, if they can
    be architects maybe pigs can fly ;)

    I think these “Architect” really match the definition:
    “…the certification is nice as a piece of paper, a line in your curriculum,
    a commercial oriented added value…”

  11. Gaston Coco Says:

    Sorry i made a mistake in my previous opinion, when i say…”

    I think these “Architects” really match the definition:
    “…the certification is nice as a piece of paper, a line in your curriculum,
    a commercial oriented added value…”

    I mean:
    I think these “Architects” really match the definition:
    “…a line in your curriculum, a commercial oriented added value…” ;)

  12. Nam Says:

    Microsoft has introduced a new certification program that, I think, addresses Architect level very well. It costs like USD $10000 and one year of preparation and many peer reviews to attend that cert. I think the peer reviews alone justify who is qualified as an architect.

  13. Eltjo Says:

    The Software Engineering Institute has been collecting definitions of “architect” and
    “architecture” for years, look at: http://www.sei.cmu.edu/architecture/.

    There seems to be a shifting trend in the way people look at architecture: about five years ago, everyone talked about structure, components and connectors, while nowadays more and more people consider the set of top-level design decisions related to a system its architecture. The latter definition seems more in line with what architects really do. Fowler’s article is an example of that trend.

  14. Robert Says:

    An architect is generally someone who has let their skills age to such an extent that they can no longer build anything, but have failed to make the transition to management or business effectively. In the world of COTS and Enterprise N-Tier solutions any 55 year old guy who has not coded anything since Cobol, who can’t face a client, and who could not sell anything, might call themselves an architect for ordering servers, selecting vendors, or doing a little Visio design.

    I have worked on both sides of the line and I have never seen any project where the vision of the architect survives more than a few weeks of development. The level of unpredictability and chaos in complex code situations is so great, generally architects just deny the reality of code, or have been so isolated they have come to believe their solutions and designs are being executed somewhere in India. All the code work is being done out their by small shops with loose process on flat structures. Because only they allow the necessary creativity to actually produce code, which never has been and never will be about structures or plans.

    British public sector IT purchases, a global joke, are probably the best example of a system demanding architecture.

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