The 8 Cs of a Software Architect
How do you think about roles and how people fit into roles? This question often arises when evaluating how someone fits into a particular role. No one is perfect or a perfect fit for any role. But the right people will fit most of a given role.
It is valuable to have consistent ways to consider “why do I think someone better fits into a role?” Maybe your rubric is wrong and must be changed, or perhaps someone lacks some skills to fit into a role.
In this post, I will describe what I think are the 8 Cs that describe how well someone fits as a software architect. Please realize these are just my attempts to put a name to some of the qualities necessary to be a software architect.
Communication
Communication is an obvious entry in this list. The software architect role has a significant design component to it, and designs are about communication. An architect who can’t communicate is not an architect.
Collaboration
Architects must Collaborate with everyone on the project team. Developers, designers, product managers, project managers, and testers all must buy into the architect’s design.
Creativity
Architects will rely on creativity to find solutions when no solution is apparent. Architects have to live within constraints but still find creative ways to deliver great products.
Critical Thinking
Make thoroughly thought through and strategic decisions that set projects and products up for long-term growth.
Consistency
A uniform approach to problems and uniform solutions is critical for everyone on software teams.
Code
Software Architects MUST be in the code with the developers. Part of that is to understand developers’ pain with their designs and ensure they are implemented correctly. Software Architects cannot just design and run away. They MUST code.
Catalyst
Architects must be catalysts for long-standing change within teams. They must present new ways to solve problems.
Closer
Architects MUST never be the person who does not get things done. Software Architects deliver on time and help (and demand) others do the same.
Using these 8 Cs, you can conduct insightful evaluations of Software Architects by assessing their strengths and identifying areas for growth. Visualizing these attributes on a radar graph can provide a clear snapshot of how well someone aligns with the role, offering a valuable tool for personal development or team discussions. Consider leveraging this approach in performance reviews, mentoring sessions, or team-building exercises to foster growth and alignment with architectural goals.
I hope this blog post piques some interest for you. If you want to discuss this further, reach out to me on X, where I’m @chadmichel.
