Thinking Architecturally

Chapter 3. Evaluating Pros and Cons

Every technical decision involves weighing the pros and cons. In this chapter you will learn how to look beyond blind hype to the inevitable downsides of any technical choice. You should consider all the consequences of an option to make the best decision for your unique situation.

Evaluating Tradeoffs

“Programmers know the benefits of everything and the tradeoffs of nothing.”

Rich Hickey

Every choice you make involves tradeoffs. You cannot become so blinded by the benefits of a given technology that you fail to see its drawbacks. Successful architects are capable of seeing past the “everything is wonderful” sheen of a new exciting technology.

Saying No, Gently

Saying no is one of the hardest things you have to do as an architect. When a developer comes to you with an innovative solution it isn’t fun to throw cold water on it. But sometimes that is exactly what you need to do. But it’s important to know how to do it the right way.

A gruff “NO” is rarely the right approach and, in a perfect world, you make the developer think the no was their idea. Often it can be as simple as pointing out another option or making sure the team understands the full implications of their solution.

One time I had a developer put together a feature based on a number of libraries we had no corporate experience with. I applauded his effort and then casually mentioned the approval process we’d have to go through for all of the new libraries he wanted to use. I ...