Is You Is or Is You Aint An Architect

The Argument: Better Architecture Everyday

The software or solution architect often comes from an engineering background. In this episode Cormac Keogh and Paul Preiss speak about the relationship between engineers. In a true argument the case of engineers, teams and architects. Can or should an engineer be the architect for a product/project? The team? Is there a difference between a titled architect and engineer? How do they work together?
In our research over the years one of the most critical paradoxes is the continued confusion over the boundaries between architect, engineer and developer. I separate these into three even though there is no industry-wide adoption of particular boundaries. For the purpose of this argument think of developers as self-taught and focused on smaller problems (no I don't mean title I mean competency!), engineers as trained and mentored but focusing on systemic structural elements and architects as outcome driven, trained and mentored creative and innovation focused with strong overlaps in depth skills with their counterpoints at certain points but with a focus on breadth and rounded out competencies.