Challenging The Role Of The Architect

Challenging the Role of the Architect
Kevin Francis
Practices Manager
Object Consulting
Session Code: ARC202

Who Is This Anyway?Do I know anything about this?
I’ve been an Architect for a while (erk!)
Project experience of different sizes
Agile
Consulting
Big and small teams
Governance

Challenging the Role of the ArchitectAgenda
Discuss project delivery
Issues with Agile project delivery
Examine the role of the Architect in projects
To explain what works and what doesn't
To propose some better approaches
60 minutes + questions
Slides will be available – Commnet and my blog

About Projects

So How's It All Working Then?
O%

What Matters in Project Delivery?Hint: Not the technology...
Projects range from $100,000 to $100,000,000
Delivery matters most to the people that put their neck on the line to support the initiative
Most are ‘fixed price’
What matters is delivery:
On time
On budget
Meets all the requirements
Who’s responsible for making sure this happens?

The Big Question….
Can a team of developers, working with an agile approach, work with the business to deliver a technically excellent solution that meets all requirements without the need for an Architect?
YES!
(in Fairyland)

What’s Wrong With Agile?
It can encourage scope creep
It can discourage architecture
It can disconnect control
It can absolve the team of design responsibility
Change!
Re-factoring on re-factoring
It can lead to project failure

Architecture in a ProjectArchitecture is about meeting the requirements
Functional
Non-Functional
Scalability
Performance
Security
Usability
Integration
Project
Schedule
Budget

The role of the ArchitectThe Architect is a professional!
Architecture
Technologies
Frameworks
Design
Approach
Development approach
Team make-up
Direction
Managing Change
Owning technical issues

Further Information
www.slideshare.net/KevinFrancis and look for ‘Career Development for Architects’
www.objectconsulting.com.au
www.iasahome.org
MCA Program: www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/architect.aspx

Relationships

The Architect and the PM
*
Project Manager
Architect
BA Lead
Test Lead
Developer
Dev. Lead
Developer
Tester
Business Analyst
Developer
Tester
Business Analyst

The Architect and the BAInterface Points
Breakdown the wall!:
Functional Requirements
User Interface Design
Non-Functional Requirements
Architectural Design
Data Design
Scope Management
Test Management
www.slideshare.net/KevinFrancis and look for ‘Business Analysts v Architects’

Project Execution

A Word About Scope Management
In any project with a budget, change in a project is EVIL!
It upsets the rhythm of the project.
It can damage the architecture.
It costs money and time, even if no change results.
The biggest issue with a truly Agile project is that it is all about change.
Change doesn’t fix issues with a project.
Deflect as much as possible to v2.0.

Starting a ProjectStep by Step
High Level Requirements
High Level Estimate
High Level Design
Approx. Approach
Enterprise Architecture
This approach works in all cases – waterfall, iterative and agile.
Use it to create a baseline estimate and scope.
Start managing change from here.
Choose a development approach here.

About High Level Architecture
Designed to put scope around the project
Designed to provide a high level estimate
Use to lock down the architecture at a high level
Allows a conversation and early approval from Enterprise Architecture
First approval point
Baseline to progress from

Designing the Architecture
Requirements
Architecture
Scope
High Level Architecture
UI Prototype
Architecture
Best Practices
Application Prototype
Tools and Products

Architecture in Agile Projects
Lock down the architecture up front
Architecture should be reuse before buy before build
Regardless of the approach, architecture is an upfront exercise
Document clearly and make available.
Document to a depth suitable to answer all technical questions

Transitions
Project Management
Business Analysis
Testing
Architecture Support
Architecture
Architecture
Wiki
High Level Design
Design, Build, Test, Review
Developers
Thin Slice

During Development
Manage change during the project
Especially stop movement in architecture
Push as much as possible to next project
Maintain the architecture
Maintain the design in the chosen tool
Architecture and design should flow.
The level of documentation completed should be enough to allow a support team to take over without a learning curve.

Tools
VSTS is required:
Allows management of requirements
Allows management of work items
Allows management of risks
Allows management of scope
Supports agile and iterative processes
SharePoint
Integrated with VSTS, allows shared view of project and artefacts
Process Mentor
See www.processmentor.com

Justifying Architecture
The conversation with management:
Reduced risk
Greater efficiency
Improved maintainability
Overall better outcome
A project with a strong architectural approach is much more likely to succeed at lower cost than without

Summary
Project delivery expectations must be high
Target what matters to your customers, not to you
Beware of the development approach you are using
Address the capabilities needed to be an excellent architect
Stand up and be a professional!

Required Slide
Speakers,
TechEd 2009 is not producing
a DVD. Please announce that
attendees can access session
recordings at TechEd Online.
www.microsoft.com/teched
Sessions On-Demand & Community
www.microsoft.com/learning
Microsoft Certification & Training Resources
http://microsoft.com/technet
Resources for IT Professionals
http://microsoft.com/msdn
Resources for Developers
Resources

Related Content
Required Slide
Speakers,
please list the Breakout Sessions, TLC Interactive Theaters and Labs that are related to your session.
Breakout Sessions
SEC312 – The "everything developers need to know about security" talk
OFC205 – Planning the people AND the project
ARC304 – Silverlight won’t save your user experience – you will
DEV205 – A tour of CodePlex

question & answer

Contact Points
Kevin Francis
Blog: msmvps.org/blogs/architecture
Twitter: Kevster009
Email: kevin.francis@objectconsulting.com.au
Mobile: +61 438 307 080
www.objectconsulting.com.au
www.processmentor.com

Required Slide
© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

http://softarchitect.wordpress.com	82
http://www.slideshare.net	3
http://www.linkedin.com	3

Challenging The Role Of The Architect

by Kevin Francis

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

3 Embeds 88

Statistics