Software Architecture Fundamentals Soft Skills

In the third video of this acclaimed series on software architecture fundamentals, Neal Ford and Mark Richards focus exclusively on the often-neglected area of soft skills. Knowing the ins and outs of programming and technology is only one side of a software architect’s skillset. Aside from being an excellent developer, you also have to be a leader. Soft skills help you work well within a larger corporate structure, manage teams, and ensure that technology is a first-level concern at your company.

In this video, you’ll learn how to:

• Justify, document, and communicate your architecture decisions to the right stakeholders
• Create an architecture refactoring plan by determining the root cause of issues and identifying architecture changes
• Make effective technical presentations and learn how to present them
• Enhance your problem-solving skills with various tips and techniques
• Write proposals, evaluations, business cases, and other persuasive documents
• Leverage checklists effectively by finding a balance between usefulness and overhead
• Manage your personal productivity, such as interacting business stakeholders and other architects
• Learn the process for several certification programs, as well as architectural certification pros and cons

Once you have completed this video, follow up with Software Architecture Fundamentals People Skills to learn essential skills such as leadership, negotiation, managing meeting, building your tech radar, and working with people.

About the presenters

Neal is Director, Software Architect, and Meme Wrangler at ThoughtWorks, a global IT consultancy with an exclusive focus on end-to-end software development and delivery. Before joining ThoughtWorks, Neal was the Chief Technology Officer at The DSW Group, Ltd., a nationally recognized training and development firm.

Mark Richards is an experienced hands-on software architect involved in the architecture, design, and implementation of microservices architectures, service oriented architectures, and distributed systems in J2EE and other technologies.

Clearing a path from developer to architect and enriching that path once you arrive.

Software architecture is a fast-moving, multidisciplinary subject where entire suites of "best practices" become obsolete practically overnight. No single path or curriculum exists, and different types of architecture—application, integration, enterprise—require different subject emphasis. Whether you’re at the outset of a career as an architect or in the midst of such a career, series editor Neal Ford has curated this collection of tools and guides for aspiring and seasoned architects alike.