Coder or Architect?
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There is an interessting article with discussion on slashdot: http://slashdot.org/developers/01/10/21/1755258.shtml: camusflage queries: "I recently was transitioned into an architectural role by my employer. I had been splitting time with development and architecture, in that order. It appears my new duties put me as an architect first, and a coder second, with the coding being at my request. At not even 28 years old, I'm already a lead developer and have people with twenty years more experience looking to me for coding hints and tips. Over that past year with my employer, I've expended much effort on developing credible relationships with other groups in the organization, sure to carry me far as an architect. Since I've already resolved that management is not a track I want to get into, is architecture my most logical next step? What do I need to do to make sure my skills still remain sharp, as I'll be spending less time in the bits and bytes? Any tips from those who have made the transition from development to architecture (both successfully and unsuccessfully) are appreciated." -- See me: www.magerquark.de Want a job? www.zeta-software.de/jobs
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There is an interessting article with discussion on slashdot: http://slashdot.org/developers/01/10/21/1755258.shtml: camusflage queries: "I recently was transitioned into an architectural role by my employer. I had been splitting time with development and architecture, in that order. It appears my new duties put me as an architect first, and a coder second, with the coding being at my request. At not even 28 years old, I'm already a lead developer and have people with twenty years more experience looking to me for coding hints and tips. Over that past year with my employer, I've expended much effort on developing credible relationships with other groups in the organization, sure to carry me far as an architect. Since I've already resolved that management is not a track I want to get into, is architecture my most logical next step? What do I need to do to make sure my skills still remain sharp, as I'll be spending less time in the bits and bytes? Any tips from those who have made the transition from development to architecture (both successfully and unsuccessfully) are appreciated." -- See me: www.magerquark.de Want a job? www.zeta-software.de/jobs
Well having moved from coding, through architecture and now into being the systems analyst manager I can easily say that for me architecture with management is a great position. But that is just me, it may be totally different for you. While I do enjoy coding having to code under someone elses command was not much fun. Same with doing systems analysis work. Now I can pick and choose what I want to get heavily involved in and what I want to sit back and manage rather. Sometimes I feel like a day of coding or I see a new technology which I want to try my hand at. Other times I see a new project which sounds interesting and I get stuck into the systems analysis side. But I have to be careful that I do not neglect my management role while playing with some code or a vision document. Personally my ideal role would be R&D, no doubt about it :) What about you? regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge "In other words, the developer is dealing with an elephant, the accountant is dealing with a bunny rabbit." by Stan Shannon - 16/10/2001
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Well having moved from coding, through architecture and now into being the systems analyst manager I can easily say that for me architecture with management is a great position. But that is just me, it may be totally different for you. While I do enjoy coding having to code under someone elses command was not much fun. Same with doing systems analysis work. Now I can pick and choose what I want to get heavily involved in and what I want to sit back and manage rather. Sometimes I feel like a day of coding or I see a new technology which I want to try my hand at. Other times I see a new project which sounds interesting and I get stuck into the systems analysis side. But I have to be careful that I do not neglect my management role while playing with some code or a vision document. Personally my ideal role would be R&D, no doubt about it :) What about you? regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge "In other words, the developer is dealing with an elephant, the accountant is dealing with a bunny rabbit." by Stan Shannon - 16/10/2001
>Personally my ideal role would be R&D, no doubt about it What about you? Oh yes, please. I'd love to find a R&D role but they are far and few between and usually want programmers better than me. I've recently moved back into the project management role. I did it about 4 years ago and hated it but now really enjoy it. I guess it is one of those things that you mature into. Also having better understanding upper management helps. I'm now given time to flesh out a full spec rather than having to rush it and change major sections on the fly. The managing of people is still the hardest thing, especially when some of the developers don't have the same level of skill as myself. Sometimes I find it easier to code something my self rather than rely on having to explain it. Michael :-)
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There is an interessting article with discussion on slashdot: http://slashdot.org/developers/01/10/21/1755258.shtml: camusflage queries: "I recently was transitioned into an architectural role by my employer. I had been splitting time with development and architecture, in that order. It appears my new duties put me as an architect first, and a coder second, with the coding being at my request. At not even 28 years old, I'm already a lead developer and have people with twenty years more experience looking to me for coding hints and tips. Over that past year with my employer, I've expended much effort on developing credible relationships with other groups in the organization, sure to carry me far as an architect. Since I've already resolved that management is not a track I want to get into, is architecture my most logical next step? What do I need to do to make sure my skills still remain sharp, as I'll be spending less time in the bits and bytes? Any tips from those who have made the transition from development to architecture (both successfully and unsuccessfully) are appreciated." -- See me: www.magerquark.de Want a job? www.zeta-software.de/jobs
I don't think architects are supposed to be "looked to for coding hints and tips". Architects plan and design - they don't (and shouldn't) give a rat's patootie about implementation details. To hell with those thin-skinned pillow-biters. - Me, 10/03/2001
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>Personally my ideal role would be R&D, no doubt about it What about you? Oh yes, please. I'd love to find a R&D role but they are far and few between and usually want programmers better than me. I've recently moved back into the project management role. I did it about 4 years ago and hated it but now really enjoy it. I guess it is one of those things that you mature into. Also having better understanding upper management helps. I'm now given time to flesh out a full spec rather than having to rush it and change major sections on the fly. The managing of people is still the hardest thing, especially when some of the developers don't have the same level of skill as myself. Sometimes I find it easier to code something my self rather than rely on having to explain it. Michael :-)
> The managing of people is still the hardest thing, especially > when some of the developers don't have the same level of skill > as myself. Sometimes I find it easier to code something my self > rather than rely on having to explain it. I hear you! My company tried, in the last couple of years, to let human-resources do all of the recruitment. I've had some major dim-wits working for me since. I'm real clear to management now as to where the bottle-necks are! I'm convinced that Scott Adam's is writing about my company! Regards, Ray
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I don't think architects are supposed to be "looked to for coding hints and tips". Architects plan and design - they don't (and shouldn't) give a rat's patootie about implementation details. To hell with those thin-skinned pillow-biters. - Me, 10/03/2001
> I don't think architects are supposed to be "looked > to for coding hints and tips". Architects plan and > design - they don't (and shouldn't) give a rat's patootie > about implementation details. True, but most often the people who are good at coding want to follow a technical route (Technical Manager or Design Architect) and those that are rubbish (and should have been fired) become your Project Manager's!:mad: Regards, Ray
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> I don't think architects are supposed to be "looked > to for coding hints and tips". Architects plan and > design - they don't (and shouldn't) give a rat's patootie > about implementation details. True, but most often the people who are good at coding want to follow a technical route (Technical Manager or Design Architect) and those that are rubbish (and should have been fired) become your Project Manager's!:mad: Regards, Ray
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>Personally my ideal role would be R&D, no doubt about it What about you? Oh yes, please. I'd love to find a R&D role but they are far and few between and usually want programmers better than me. I've recently moved back into the project management role. I did it about 4 years ago and hated it but now really enjoy it. I guess it is one of those things that you mature into. Also having better understanding upper management helps. I'm now given time to flesh out a full spec rather than having to rush it and change major sections on the fly. The managing of people is still the hardest thing, especially when some of the developers don't have the same level of skill as myself. Sometimes I find it easier to code something my self rather than rely on having to explain it. Michael :-)
Oh yes, please. I'd love to find a R&D role but they are far and few between and usually want programmers better than me I never understood companies who require a hardcore coder for a R&D role. R&D does not involve hard core coding but rather discovery and grand "ideas". The role demands an intelligent and active mind but definitley not a hard core coder. A hard core coder is better put to use in your development team hammering out the projects and tools that R&D come up with (or from clients of course). Sure you have to know the difference between a variable and field but imagination, business sense and vision are far more important in R&D. Often hard core coders can be a bit set in their ways and unable to tear themselves away from intricate coding to see the big picture, or rip themselves away from their preferred langauge to discover a new one which may be better. Luckily with the company I am with I am growing into the R&D role, tackling it when I am not working on a project. In a year we will be setting up a dedicated R&D department which I thankfully will lead. Woohooo! :) Then I can spend a whole week researching something and write an article for CP without having to resort to after-hours time. The managing of people is still the hardest thing, especially when some of the developers don't have the same level of skill as myself. Sometimes I find it easier to code something my self rather than rely on having to explain it. Problem is doing that invalidates the whole team model and you could find yourself in a pickle with no reliable backup. I do know the feeling though and have often wrested the keyboard away from someone in frustration. In the long run though it pays off to educate rather than do it yourself. regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge "In other words, the developer is dealing with an elephant, the accountant is dealing with a bunny rabbit." by Stan Shannon - 16/10/2001
