The Software Architect Elevator: Redefining the Architect's Role in the Digital Enterprise The Software Architect Elevator: Redefining the Architect's Role in the Digital Enterprise Paperback Kindle

About the Book

Architects play a critical role as a connecting and translating element, especially in large organizations where departments speak different languages, have different viewpoints, and drive toward conflicting objectives. Many layers of management only exacerbate the problem as communicating up and down the corporate ladder resembles the telephone game. The worst-case scenario materializes when people holding relevant information or expertise aren’t empowered to make decisions, whereas the decision makers lack relevant information. Not a good state to be in for a corporate IT department, especially in the days when technology has become a driving factor for most businesses.

The Architect Elevator

Architects can fill an important void in large enterprises: they work and communicate closely with technical staff on projects, but are also able to convey technical topics to upper management without losing the essence of the message (Chapter 2). Conversely, they understand the company’s business strategy and can translate it into technical decisions that support it.

If you picture the levels of an organization as the floors in a building, architects can ride what I call the architect elevator: they ride the elevator up and down to move between a large enterprise’s board room and the engine room where software is being built. Such a direct linkage between the levels has become more important than ever in times of rapid IT evolution and digital disruption.

Stretching the analogy to that of a large ship, if the bridge officers spot an obstacle and need to turn the proverbial tanker, they will set the engines to reverse. But if in reality the engines are running full speed ahead, a major disaster is preprogrammed. This is why even old steamboats had a pipe to echo commands directly from the captain to the boiler room and back. In large enterprises architects need to play exactly that role!