What do IT architects do? You could say that they are the people who
make IT architecture, but that leaves you with having to define what
architecture is, which we won’t do until Part II. More interesting yet, what sets a good architecture apart from an
average one? And what does an architect become after many successful years?
A penthouse resident (Chapter 1)? Hopefully not! A chief technology officer (CTO)? Not a bad choice. Or do they remain a (more senior)
architect? That’s what famous building architects do, after all.
It’s time to have a look at the progression of architects.
Skill, Impact, Leadership
When asked to characterize the seniority of an architect, I apply a
simple framework: a successful architect must stand on three “legs”:
Skill
The foundation for practicing architects. It requires
knowledge and the ability to apply it to solve real problems.
Impact
The measure of how well an architect applies his or her skill to benefit the company.
Leadership
Determines whether an architect advances the
state of the practice.
This nomenclature maps well to other professional fields that rely on highly trained and experienced individuals. For example, in the medical field after studying and acquiring skill, doctors practice and treat patients before ...
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