I found this blog – How to be a Tracer Bullet Architect - which I’d like to rename as how to suck less as an architect.
I say, with a hint of sarcasm, this is precisely the type of encouragement us good old architects need. According to the author, as an Architect, you can either suck or suck less by taking this advice.
To suck, you don’t code anymore. You collaborate with the developers giving them some high level white board sketches so the get the idea. But you effectively leave them to their own devices to find a solution to their particular problem. I guess the author would prefer the architect dictate to the developer precisely what technology library / api, etc.. to use.
To suck less, he goes on, an Architect could set down to his favourite IDE and get down to doing some coding. Effectively writing the prototype of what they want implemented and perhaps further elaborated by the developer.
Fair enough, an Architect ought to be able to code still.
