Advice for apprentice software architects

The software architecture discipline has matured to the point where the core tool bag for architecture analysis and design can be learned by any serious software engineer. But this doesn’t mean that architect’s experience is no longer an important attribute of architect’s character.

The best way to learn is by doing. To quote Lakota Indian saying: "Tell me, and I'll listen. Show me, and I'll understand. Involve me, and I'll learn." Apprentice architects must seek out opportunities to work on architecturally significant aspects of various projects. Diversity here means working on projects with different SDLCs, projects of different scope and size, and projects across different functional domains. Diverse experience – preferably across different organizations – will enable an apprentice architect make better decisions in the future as the repertoire of skills and knowledge grows.

Everybody wants an architect with 10 years of experience, but nobody wants an architect with 1 year of experience ten times.

Constantin K.
Firebrand Architect™
www.SoftwareArchitectures.com