Developing architects by design

Copyright © 2017 uDASH Information Technologies, All rights reserved
N. Shyamsunder
Chief Architect, uDASH Information Technologies
Developing Architects by Design

Architects By Design
Technical Talent: Challenges
2
World-wide: Architects Demand ≫ Supply,
expected to sustain for the next decade
Lateral hiring of architects has been risky,
costly and time consuming
Talented team is getting drained while
executing “complex” projects
Teams’ professional dissatisfaction is
growing day by day
In-house training programs to produce
architects have been non-existent or ineffective

Why Architecture?
3
Efficient execution of projects
 Identify parts of the solution such that each part can be developed
independently
 Divide work among large teams
 Utilize larger number of designers and programmers
 Identify work items for design phase
 Ensure that code developed by multiple programmers or teams works together
Enable
Solution to non-functional requirements
Realize “significant” architectural requirements
Provide
Solutions
Architectural decisions to all stake holders
Communicate
Cost and Impact of future changes
(localize impacts, minimize propagation of changes)
Minimize
TimeofImpact

Technologies: Role based Views
4
Programmer’s View
Designer’s View
Architect’s View
• Type of solution elements & connectors
• Ready to use solution elements
• Services, Business logic components
• Integration with other COTS products
• Syntax, Data types, Data structures
• Programming constructs
• Development tools, IDE etc.
• Details of functionality provided
• How to consume provided functionality
• Callable interfaces
Increasinglevelofabstraction

Requirements  (Architecture)  Code
5
Architectural
Thinking
Architecture
Document
Architecture
Code /
Implementation
Design
Thinking
Design
Document
Design
Requirements
Architecture may not be documented, but Architecture is always defined
Architectural Thinking
Applying technologies, Making technical decisions, Balancing needs, Solving complexity

Enablement Models
6
Knowledge based
Capability Based
Lectures
Experiential
White Board Session
Group Discussion
Examples
Exercises
Projects
Deliverables
Activities
Outcomes
Approach & Attitude Podcast & Videos

Enablement Models
7
Knowledge based
Capability Based
Experiential
 Focus on what you need to know
 Imparting required knowledge
 Uses combination of lectures, podcasts and videos
 Focus on providing experience of a role in a simulated environment
 Extensive use of experienced professionals
 Mentoring, Guidance, Learning by doing things
 Focus on “What candidates should be able to do?”
 Application of knowledge, Contribution to deliverable & activities
 Key is to define observable and verifiable capabilities

Architecture Program vs Architect’s Program
8
 Features and Functionality
 How to use?
 Best practices and pitfalls
 Examples
 Architect’s perspective of platform(s) and class of products
 Types of components & connectors
 Architecture definition methodology, Architecture modelling language,
Architectural views
 How and What of Architecture Definition & Documentation?
 How to provide solutions?
 Templates, Examples, White boarding sessions, Exercises and Projects
covering deliverables and activities
Product/Technology Program
Architect’s Program
 Architect's point of view of product
 Product/Vendor centric view
 Some may share Product’s Architecture
 Rarely address when to (not) use what?
 Examples of defining architecture using the
product
Product Program for Architects

Constituents of a GOOD Program(s) for Architects
9
 Architectural concepts
 Development platform
 Class of COTS products
 Types of components & connectors
 Example products
 Reference architectures
 Architectural patterns
 Methodologies
Technical Knowledge
 Vocabulary
 Enterprise business applications
 Industry domain standards
 Business processes
 Business data models
 Industry domain trends
Industry Domain Knowledge
 White boarding sessions
 Examples
 Exercises
 Project under guidance
 Project under observation
 Technical documentation
 Presentation, Communication
 Decision making
 Technical leadership
 Technical conflict resolution
Certification
Behavioral Skills Experience

Constituents of an Enablement Program …
10
Imparting
Knowledge
Identification &
Integration
 Architectural Perspectives of Technologies and Development Platform
 Product neutral and product specific concepts
 COTS and bespoke solutions elements
 What to buy/reuse; What to build?
Architectural
Experience
 Making & Communicating architectural decisions
 Defining and documenting architecture
 Functional decomposition in the solution domain
Mentoring
 Ask experts, Discuss options and solutions
 Discuss right and not so right solutions
 Get guidance; Understand examples, Solve exercises,

Capabilities
11
They are NOT about existence of knowledge
They are NOT about Business/Project Outcome
What a person should be able to do?
Tasks/Activities to be performed
Behaviors to be Demonstrated
In the context of Artefacts/Deliverables of a Business/Project

Capability based model for Architects
12
What you have done?
What you can do?
In what context?
What you know? It is a must, but never enough
Experience, Gives confidence
Differentiator
Qualifier of Experience
(Project size/complexity)
In the given scenario
Your suitability for project under
consideration

13
uDASH’s COMMAND Framework

Sample Capabilities of Entry Level Architects
14
# CID Technical Capabilities
1 TC1 Prepares work plan for architecture related activities and artifacts
2 TC2 Demonstrates understanding of functional and architectural requirements
TC3 Defines and documents architectural solutions for “Level-I” systems
3 TC3a Deals with ambiguities, unknowns and makes pragmatic assumptions
4 TC3b Identifies architecturally significant requirements
5 TC3c Utilizes “right” classes of products
6 TC3d Makes technical decisions and provides rationale for the same
7 TC3e Applies architectural qualities (Coupling, Cohesion, Concurrency, Stateless, Encapsulation, Abstraction, Decoupling), best practices
& architectural patterns
8 TC3f Prepares architecture document with project specific content
9 TC4 Identifies technical risks and provides mitigation plan for “Level One” systems
10 TC5 Demonstrates knowledge of one development platform and multiple classes of products
11 TC6 Keeps up-to-date with technologies, tools, methodologies etc., which are relevant for the role of an architect
12 TC7 Prepares size and effort estimates for “Level One” systems.
Behavioral Capabilities
13 BC1 Listens actively
14 BC2 Authors technical content (documents and presentations)
15 BC3 Presents technical content effectively
Level One Systems
• Order Value: < 1M US$
• Project Size: <= 10 members
• Number of External Interfaces : <= 5
• Number of COTS Products : <= 5

Hire to Retire Cycle of Architects
15
Hire
Enable
Promote
Retain
Experience can’t come without giving opportunities
Big question is, who should be given opportunities?
Identify potential  Provide opportunities
Certify
Identify
Talent

E2E Process for Developing Architects
16
Define Architect’s Capabilities
(What an architect should be able to do?)
Conduct Program
Measure Outcome
(Projects as well as Business)
1
3
5
Capabilities
Outputs/Deliverables Driven Easily Verifiable
Select / Design, Customize Program2
Conduct Certification4
Activities/Task Oriented Role Based

Developing Architects by Design
17
Hire
Role
Change
Promote
Aspiring
Architect
Program
Identify
Talent
Assign to
Architect Role
Role Holder
Certification
Role Aspirant
Certification
Capability
Based
Evaluation
Junior
Architect
Program
Capability
Based
Model
Capability Based Model Capability Based Model
Capability
BasedModel
Architect
Role Holder

Applying Capability Model
18
Definition of capability model will
improve alignment of architects with business objectives
Capability base certification is easy to use as a
“Necessary but not Sufficient Criteria” for progression
Must differentiate between “Role Holders” and “Role Aspirants”
Essential to use capability model at all steps;
It will happen gradually, rather than overnight
It is important to take required steps to retain “certified architects”,
otherwise all investments may only benefit competition

Conclusions and Key Takeaways
19
Define your “Capability based Model” to
“Improve alignment with business”
Focus on “Applying Technologies” rather than just “Knowing Technologies”
Primary focus of certification should be “Developing organization’s
capability and developing people” rather than classifying people
You can start anywhere, but capability based model should be applied at
all stages (Hire, Enable, Change of Role, Certify, Promote, Retain)

Brief about Author
20
Shyamsunder Namdhari,
Chief Architect & Co-Founder
M.Tech in CSE from IIT Kanpur, India
 25+ years of IT experience, including 20+ years as an
Enterprise Architect, IT Advisor & Solution Architect.
 Architected a number of complex enterprise class
solutions for global customers.
 Led several Consulting/Advisory engagements,
providing architectural centric solutions.
 As an architecture competency head and a practice
head, he provided technology leadership to
architecture teams.
 Areas of expertise and interests are Software
Architecture, Enterprise Architecture, Multi-channel
applications, JEE and Unix platforms.
 Designed, organized, institutionalized and governed
multiple certification and enablement programs for
architects.
 Rich experience in conducting architecture focused
enablement programs and mentoring architects. His
sessions provide an enjoyable learning experience for
the participants.
 Shares his experiences, covering knowledge, art &
engineering sides of software architecture.

Architect by Design : Digital Enterprise Solutions
Program Structure
21
• A unique role based program
• “Designed for Architects”,
• “Developed by Architects”
• “Delivered by Architects”
• Capability (What an architect should be able to do?) driven approach, centred
around “What” and “How” of Architectural Artefacts/Activities , in addition to
“imparting technical knowledge”
• Provides experience of architecting digital enterprise solutions
• Program includes interactive classroom sessions focusing on architectural concepts,
examples, white boarding sessions, exercises, and an project involving definition and
documentation of complete architecture.
• A program based on mentoring and experiential learning techniques, that prepares
participants to play a role of “Digital Enterprise Solutions Architect” confidently.
• Expert mentors with experience in “Architecting” and “Talent Enhancement
Programs”

About uDASH
22
We bring 50+ Years of Architectural Experiences
Architects
Developed By
Delivered By
Designed For
Cloud Solution
Architect by Design
(CSABD)
Architect by Design:
Digital Enterprise
Solutions (ABD:DES)
Architecture
Consulting &
Advisory
Technical
Ladder
Consulting

shyam@udashtech.com
Chief Architect,
uDASh Information Technologies
Thank You

Developing architects by design

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