Software architects: Work in progress
It really is not news that software architects have found a place in the enterprise.
But the role seems important, and growing more so, as Service-Oriented Architecture
(SOA) gains footing in advanced IT shops. Several recent articles investigate
this trend.
Editor-at-large Jack Vaughan turns the spotlight on the emerging title in "Software
architects: Working on a building." He writes: "The title seems
apt to some. The architect is at least one step above the programmer, business
analyst and project manager." But he also notes: "It is not unfair
to question the notion of a "chief software architect" just as some
engineers have questioned the idea of "software engineering" in general.
After all, there is no single book that largely summarizes the undeniable tenets
of the discipline as there is in civil engineering."
For those wondering what a software architect is supposed to do, freelance
writer Dan Romanchik, in "Building a better
foundation" reviews Software Architect Bootcamp, a book that asks why
software architectures fail and offers answers. Romanchik also looks at another
architect guidebook, "A Practical Guide to Enterprise Architecture."
He says the authors believe software architecting fails because those involved
don't understand "that architecture is not design ..." even though
"... in many companies the two are often confused." Romanchik writes:
"Architecture and design are two separate endeavors, say the authors, and
marrying them often leads to failure. In addition, there are some glaring deficiencies
in our knowledge of enterprise architecture, as well as the tools and organizations
meant to support the enterprise architecture effort."
On the somewhat lighter side, Web reporter Rich Seeley asked analysts what
they think of the chief software architect title created at CA for Sanjay Kumar
when he resigned his job as president and CEO. In "What's
in a title? Or Kumar becomes chief architect," analysts say the jury
is still out, excuse the pun, on whether Kumar will add to or detract from the
title that Bill Gates made famous.