WKID!

25.2.05

What is it about Softwate Architects???

My current job is solution architecture. Fundamentally, that means that for a set of requirements, I do the high level design to a point where I can produce an accurate fixed-price quote to complete the actual job we're being asked to do. The first part of that actual job is the detailed design.

One of the hoops I have to jump through to get my design signed off is a review by various architects to see whether my solution meets the overall enterprise architecture.

Now I thought I could be abstract, but man alive I've got nothing on these guys! They are in cloud cuckoo land. They talk about interfaces, contracts, defining things like "system" and "function". They can't answer a concrete question about anything. When I ask for architectural guidance on whether a solution is the right way to go, the best I've ever has is "that's an interesting idea, let's discuss it some more". They tell me I ask "important questions" but never answer them. They talk down to me because clearly I don't understand the big picture well enough. They get worried when the software I am proposing doesn't fit well into their architectural boxes. They want me to define "contracts" with systems that don't exist, when all I want is to propose an SQL query to read information from an existing database.

I propose a Wiki-based solution for something and apart from the fact it might introduce freeware into their blessed environment:
  • Is that where we want to go strategically with knowledge management?
  • Will it work in with the Identity and Access Management architecture (which they haven't written yet)?
  • Oh, yeah and are the users up to handling it?
Sheesh, all they want is a set of web pages that they can add information to when they learn something new. Eight weeks we've been arguing over this one.

Then I get an email telling me that we are too abstract in our solutions.

Give me strength!

I understand the need for architectural principles and the reasons behind what they are trying to do, but at some stage they need to get down off their pedestals and realise that there is more to live than their layers, domains, functional units and interfaces.

Rant ends.

1 Comments:

  • Your solution should be more specific and name lots of products that you get commission on. Likewise, your contract should have several clauses that prevent you from being called on it...

    http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/eai/leadership

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:04 am  

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