Architectural Compentency

Business Success

How do you measure success ◦ backwards looking – derived from history?◦ is it forward looking? – ability to meet new

opportunities?

Architecture as a processCost / benefit of process?

Where is the value?◦ Hardware/Software?

Social and technical indicators:

]’Business strategy and technical strategy must be aligned with good flow of information.

Architectural awareness (trade-offs and risks)◦ Ability to make decisions and awareness of rationality

behind decision (indicator evidence). Salary – company values architects Defined role of architect with clearly defined

responsibility and authority. Who are my peers?

◦ Are the current architects competent? ◦ Does management understand they are competent?

More than just technical skills.

Single point of accountability – who is in charge?! Wide awareness, domain, technology, attends

conference. Organization recognizes need for personal growth.

Defined role and responsibility – or clear ability to organize

Communication – clear understandable exchange of information. Facilitates communication between team members. Happy to share knowledge.

Effective team player. Architect is ready to move on (not entrenched or

defending their position)◦ Willing to share knowledge, enable someone else to do

their job.

Can assessor understand architecture after a reasonable time?

How well is architectural knowledge shared in the organization?◦ Truck number?

Are documentation artifacts used?◦ How is architectural knowledge

persisted/communicated? Transferrable? Domain expertise? Just enough architecture?

Please give me a good and bad architectural experience at this company?◦ Value of architecture to company◦ Do those in charge understand it?

When is the architecture engaged in the software development lifecycle?

Would you put the architect in front of the customer.◦ Does the architect have access to the customer? (how

many tiers between customer and architect?)◦ Is architect on management team?

Architect can answer “what is good about your architecture?” and relate answer to business goal (rather than engineering)