The document discusses a presentation on the role of a software architect and the tough decisions they must make. It outlines the architect's role in ensuring customer intimacy, composing effective teams, decomposing systems, choosing technologies, and determining processes. It also provides an agenda for the presentation that includes an introduction on the architect's role, examples of tough decisions around customer intimacy, team composition, system decomposition, technology choices, and processes. The presentation aims to provide takeaways around prioritizing people, choosing simplicity, making informed decisions, understanding trade-offs and risks, and continued communication.

1. itcampro@ itcamp13# Premium conference on Microsoft technologies
Beyond Software Architecture
Sergiu Damian
@sergiudamian | sergiu.damian@rabs.ro

2. itcampro@ itcamp13# Premium conference on Microsoft technologies
Architecture &
Best PracticesHuge thanks to our sponsors!

3. itcampro@ itcamp13# Premium conference on Microsoft technologies
Architecture &
Best Practices
• Sergiu “Sese” Damian
• Software thinker and creator for 13+ years
• Independent Software Architect
• RABS Co-Founder & President
• Countless projects on Microsoft technologies
– FoxPro, VB6, Delphi, .NET, .NET, SQL, .NET, .NET,
Excel, .NET, Excel, .NET, Word, Visio, .NET, .NET
• Management positions on and off; now off
• Husband, father, driver, skier, idealist
@sergiudamian | sergiu.damian@rabs.ro
About

4. itcampro@ itcamp13# Premium conference on Microsoft technologies
Architecture &
Best Practices
• Intro
– Why this session?
– The Architect’s role
• Tough decisions in the making
– Customer intimacy
– Team composition
– System decomposition
– Technology
– Process
• Takeaways
• Q & A
Agenda

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INTRO

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Architecture &
Best Practices
• Decisions
• There’s no 911 (112 for European Architects)
• Best practices don’t exist
• Feels like a battlefield
• You win some, you lose some
• Eyes opened and keep talking
“It doesn’t have to be like this
All we need to do is make sure we keep talking”
(Pink Floyd)
Why this session?

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Architecture &
Best Practices
• Project / Product specific
• Domain understanding
• Technical leadership
• High-level design
• Project planning (not monitoring)
• Works with the Product Owner & Project
Manager
• Process leadership
The Architect’s role

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TOUGH DECISIONS IN THE
MAKING

9. itcampro@ itcamp13# Premium conference on Microsoft technologies
Architecture &
Best Practices
• Customers
– Don’t (always) know what they want
– (May) have rigid expectations
• We
– Know better
– Must lead them
• Decision
Close vs. Far (Deep vs. Shallow)
• Risks
– They can’t live without us
Customer intimacy

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Architecture &
Best Practices
• Skills
– We ask, they give, we accept (or not)
– Simple is better
• We
– Know better
– Must lead
• Decision
Feature vs. Layer
• Risks
– They can’t move without us
Team composition

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Architecture &
Best Practices
• Functionality vs. Volatility
– Everybody thinks functionality
– Volatility is here to stay
• We
– Know better
– Must lead them
• Decision
Key functionalities vs. Key services
• Risks
– They can’t understand
System decomposition

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Architecture &
Best Practices
• Technology choices
– Frameworks
– Third party components
• We
– Don’t know better
– Must lead them
• Decision
Formal vs. Informal
Expert vs. Hunch
• Risks
– Effort to recover
Technology

13. itcampro@ itcamp13# Premium conference on Microsoft technologies
Architecture &
Best Practices
• Process choices
– How Agile?
– How rigid?
• We
– Know better
– Must lead them
• Decision
Close or Far
• Risks
– Ineffective team
Process

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TAKEAWAYS

15. itcampro@ itcamp13# Premium conference on Microsoft technologies
Architecture &
Best Practices
• People first
• Simple is better
• Informed decisions
• Know your trade-offs / risks
• Talk, talk and never stop
Takeaways

16. itcampro@ itcamp13# Premium conference on Microsoft technologies
Q & A