Software Systems Architecture: Working with Stakeholders Using Viewpoints and Perspectives

5 The Role of the Software Architect

If you gathered a group of software architects in a room and asked them to describe the jobs they do, you would probably end up with at least a dozen different definitions. More tellingly, if you asked the people with whom the architects work how their colleagues fill their working hours, you would probably get still more definitions.

Our own practical experience supports this. On some projects, the person with the title of architect has a very hands-on, directional involvement in the nuts and bolts of designing, coding, and testing. Alternatively, architecture may be viewed as an ivory tower from which pronouncements are handed down at intervals to the build and implementation teams. Architect is also often ...