Sunday, September 16, 2007
Why Software Developers should aspire to become Enterprise Architects...
Figured I would share sage wisdom in terms of making a career move...
In case you haven't figured it out yet, the vast majority of enterprise architects work less hours than hardcore software developers with compatible pay. While I will disclaim that dinosaur mainframe folks tend to work the least amount of hours in IT, enterprise architects have similiar priveleges.
Consider the fact that even for us enterprise architects that do work a lot of hours, we still have certain luxuries as to how and when work will get done. For example, I have been thinking about what should be part of my 2008 agenda and I have been able to noodle this while driving a car, eating dinner, at the mall and so on. I bet software developers can't do their craft well while driving.
Software developers love to think of their code as a thing of beauty and always attempt to gain reuse yet it cannot match the reuse of Powerpoint and the frequent conversations many enterprise architects have. Consider the simple fact that I have been reusing the same Powerpoint presentation with only minor tweaks on the subject of SOA since 2002. I expect that based on current adoption rates, I still can get at least another five or six presentations out of it in the next couple of years.
When enterprise architects are busy aligning with the business, we have to remember to dumb down our vocabulary. Reality says that in many situations we can skip much of the homework required and just stay dumb by learning a few buzzwords, focusing on nomenclature and practicing hand waving techniques. If we are really smart, we will master the artful copying of quotes from industry analysts in our emails and presentations. If we are even smarter, we don't even have to understand reality and can instead stay focused on perception management. After all, the higher up in the clouds you go, perception is reality.
Imagine not having to bust your brain figuring out complex problems and simply being able to defer it to others whether it be poorly dressed slobs otherwise known as software developers or high-classed pimped out consultants who will gladly interview developer for opportunities and then nicely package it as their own. The best situation though is that enterprise architects get to listen rapty to the vendor sales pitch on their value proposition, strong ROI and how we are all partners without ever asking ourselves if ever vendor provides ROI, then how come IT is so damn expensive.
Reality says that enterprise architects can exercise their rights to remain silent when it comes to federated identity, open source or anything truly valuable and instead focus on drawing cartoons for the executive crowd while dreaming about the day when all the vendors stories will manifest in terms of ROI and they are the only employee left in IT and they can be king of the hill...
| | View blog reactionsIn case you haven't figured it out yet, the vast majority of enterprise architects work less hours than hardcore software developers with compatible pay. While I will disclaim that dinosaur mainframe folks tend to work the least amount of hours in IT, enterprise architects have similiar priveleges.
Consider the fact that even for us enterprise architects that do work a lot of hours, we still have certain luxuries as to how and when work will get done. For example, I have been thinking about what should be part of my 2008 agenda and I have been able to noodle this while driving a car, eating dinner, at the mall and so on. I bet software developers can't do their craft well while driving.
Software developers love to think of their code as a thing of beauty and always attempt to gain reuse yet it cannot match the reuse of Powerpoint and the frequent conversations many enterprise architects have. Consider the simple fact that I have been reusing the same Powerpoint presentation with only minor tweaks on the subject of SOA since 2002. I expect that based on current adoption rates, I still can get at least another five or six presentations out of it in the next couple of years.
When enterprise architects are busy aligning with the business, we have to remember to dumb down our vocabulary. Reality says that in many situations we can skip much of the homework required and just stay dumb by learning a few buzzwords, focusing on nomenclature and practicing hand waving techniques. If we are really smart, we will master the artful copying of quotes from industry analysts in our emails and presentations. If we are even smarter, we don't even have to understand reality and can instead stay focused on perception management. After all, the higher up in the clouds you go, perception is reality.
Imagine not having to bust your brain figuring out complex problems and simply being able to defer it to others whether it be poorly dressed slobs otherwise known as software developers or high-classed pimped out consultants who will gladly interview developer for opportunities and then nicely package it as their own. The best situation though is that enterprise architects get to listen rapty to the vendor sales pitch on their value proposition, strong ROI and how we are all partners without ever asking ourselves if ever vendor provides ROI, then how come IT is so damn expensive.
Reality says that enterprise architects can exercise their rights to remain silent when it comes to federated identity, open source or anything truly valuable and instead focus on drawing cartoons for the executive crowd while dreaming about the day when all the vendors stories will manifest in terms of ROI and they are the only employee left in IT and they can be king of the hill...
