Thanks to a pointer from Kent Beck, I’ve just read Alan Keefer’s post, Taking Responsibility.  This is probably the best description I’ve ever read of the role that a software or system architect should take.

And it’s very different from the role I’ve normally seen them take.  Most software architects got the title because they were very good software developers.  I’ve seen far to many who assume that they should now do the “highest level” of the work they’ve been doing, that of the system level design, and leave the more mundane work to those who are still software developers.  In other words, they’re considering their promotion from the point of responsibilities they’re shedding rather than those that they’re taking on. Read More