Why is an architect?

 

This week's (very short) article, Who Needs an Architect?, Martin Fowler explains to us the different definitions of architects that exist in the software world. The first and most common definition, which Fowler disagrees with, says that an architect is (s)he who helps identify what the most important parts of a project are, in order to give it structure. However, it is also mentioned that these parts are usually the most important because they are the hardest to change, so an architect's job should also include reducing the amount of these parts. Following the logic, by this definition, an architect's job is to reduce the amount of architecture. 

The second proposed definition, which I also think I agree with, is that an architect's role is more like a guide's. His purpose is to help the team become better by using his expertise, and communicating with as much of the team as possible in order to remove their blocks. I think the word architect still fulfills this definition. However, the role isn't to design the product, it's to, in a way, design the right team to work on that product.

I think the reason I agree with the second definition is because just like Thanos, change is inevitable. It's even mentioned in the article: flexible components are a little more complex than their non-flexible counterparts, but as a whole, a non-flexible system can be just as complex. That being said, since it's impossible to prevent change, you might as well have a solid team that will be able to tackle it. 

With that said, I think I agree with the idea that a "software architect", as is defined today, meaning someone who designs a system from the beginning in order for it to be more robust, is not needed in most cases. What is needed, is someone who is able to manage a team, is willing to teach, and knows how everything should work together, and what to do when it doesn't. We could change the definition and keep using the architect title, or come up with a new titleto cover this issue, either is fine by me, but I agree with the idea that an architect by today's terms isn't the most useful addition for most projects.