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Software Architect

Seek the value in requested capabilities

Book: 97 Things Every Software Architect Should Know
Publisher: O’Reilly Media
Author: Richard Monson-Haefel

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97 Things Every Software Architect Should Know – 6/97

Often customers and end-users state what they think is a viable solution to a problem as a requirement. The classical story on this was told by Harry Hillaker, the lead designer of the F-16 Falcon. His team was requested to design a Mach 2 – 2.5 aircraft, which was then, and probably still is, a non-trivial task – especially when the objective is to create “cheap” lightweight aircraft. Remember that the force required to overcome drag quadruples when doubling the speed, and what impact that have on aircraft weight.

When the design team asked the air force why they needed Mach 2 – 2.5, the answer was to be able to escape from combat. With the real need on the table the design team was able to address the root problem and provide a working solution. Their solution was an agile aircraft with a high thrust-to-weight ratio, providing acceleration and maneuverability, not maximum speed.

This lesson should be brought into software development as well. By asking for the value to be provided by a requested feature or requirement architects are able address the real problem, and hopefully provide a better and cheaper solution compared to addressing the solution suggested by the client. The focus on value also simplifies prioritization. The most valuable requirements become the driving requirements.

So, how to proceed then? In many ways the required approach is found in the agile manifesto: “Collaboration over contract”. Practically speaking this implies arranging workshops and meetings where the architects focus are on customer needs, helping the customers to answer the “why” question. Be aware that answering the “why” question can be difficult because we very often talk about tacit knowledge. Discussions on how to provide a technical solution should be avoided in these workshops, because they move the discussions away from the customer‘s domain and into the domain of software development.

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By Swatantra Kumar

Swatantra is an engineering leader with a successful record in building, nurturing, managing, and leading a multi-disciplinary, diverse, and distributed team of engineers and managers developing and delivering solutions. Professionally, he oversees solution design-development-delivery, cloud transition, IT strategies, technical and organizational leadership, TOM, IT governance, digital transformation, Innovation, stakeholder management, management consulting, and technology vision & strategy. When he's not working, he enjoys reading about and working with new technologies, and trying to get his friends to make the move to new web trends. He has written, co-written, and published many articles in international journals, on various domains/topics including Open Source, Networks, Low-Code, Mobile Technologies, and Business Intelligence. He made a proposal for an information management system at the University level during his graduation days.

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