Software Architect
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What is a Software Architect? Highly structured frameworks and processes have defined this term. An example it the Rational Unified Process (RUP). Thus "The Software Architect has overall responsibility for driving the major technical decisions, which are expressed as software architecture." The rationale for such decisions is also required. There is an implicit duty on the Architect to ensure that the decisions made are actually carried out in practice. Who is a Software Architect? When does a Software Architect do her job?The major workload for the archictect is in the early stages of development. Here is where the large technology decisions are made. Fat/thin? SQL Server or Oracle? In the case of the RUP, the most important phase is elaboration. The aim here is to mitigate the risk of failure through making the wrong architectural decisions. However work is still needed in Inception and Construction. Minimal work will occur in Transition.How does a Software Architect do her job?Typical activities of the architect are to identify and document architecturally significant aspects of the system. "Significant aspects" include major requirements, design, implementation, deployment views. The architect does need to supply the rationale and justification for her decisions. This involves juggling the concenrs of stakeholders, showing the mitigation of risk, communication and enforcement.
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