You’re a system architect who wants to stand out. What hard skills should you focus on?

As a system architect needs following skill 1. Domain knowledge - Need to have in depth domain knowledge with out that he can not understand the system problem and provide the solutions. 2. Communication and collaborating with the stake holders. Need to have good communication skills to communicate with various kinds of stake holder such as some stake holders are from business community , some from technical people. He need to communicate well as well as understand the requirement. 3. Need to follow the architectural principles to ensure solution is not based on technology. Solution is based on customer need and it solves the customer problem. 4. Need to have good understanding of algorithm and data structure to provide performance solution

As a System Architect You should Never Stand Out rather You Should Stand With 1. Product : By having Skills of Product Process, Market gaps, Customer needs. 2. Business StakeHolder: By having skills of converting Business requirements, Collaboration and Proper Communication. 3.Architects : by demonstrating Skills in System Design , Architectural Modeling,Upto date with New Technology. 4. Developers & Testers: By having Skills of Technology , Programming Languages, Technical Skills . Problem solving Skills. Testing skills.

Je ne pense pas que cela soit obligatoire. A la limite les langages de scripting (python, shell, powershell). Mais plutôt avoir manipulé, par son expérience, un large éventail de middlewares (serveur applicatif, base de données, reverse proxy) et avoir une expérience de la production pour être conscient des effets de bord d'architectures qui, certes, ne peuvent jamais être parfaites, mais cependant : éviter les écueils rencontrés, les impacts sur la production.

Prioritize expertise in cloud computing, containerization technologies, proficiency in microservices, strong programming skills (Python, Java), and deep understanding of security protocols and best practices. Additionally, staying updated on emerging technologies.

As a system architect you need to be proficient in multiple languages or none. If we are binding system architecture with a specific language, it will be difficult to evolve and we are forcing language at the top level instead of focusing on architecture and business objectives. An architecture can be designed using principal of language models and domain knowledge. Once the architecture is designed, appropriate programming language to fulfill our business objectives should be selected. It should consider the cost, time and future of the technology stack.

To lead the architecture community you have to be innovative and expert in the software engineering principal. These principles help to align and guide the process of designing an architecture. Design principles are created to provide a high quality of system but each solution comes with its pros and cons so, as an architect you should be able to connect, validate and reconfigure the principal as per requirement. Simplify the solution using principal not to complicate it.

A systems architect who wants to stand out should develop a wide range of hard skills in several key areas. Regarding software engineering principles, a systems architect should have a solid understanding of software architecture principles, including different architectural structures (such as microservice or service-oriented architectures), design patterns, and best practices for creating scalable, reliable and robust systems. Furthermore, it should be abreast of the latest technologies and frameworks in the field of software development. A systems architect should be able to evaluate and select the most appropriate technologies to meet project requirements and guide technology implementation.

1. Leveraging benefits: Utilize cloud computing for scalability, availability, security, performance, and cost-efficiency. 2. Understanding challenges: Be aware of challenges like vendor lock-in, data privacy, compliance, and governance. 3. Knowledge of providers: Understand major cloud service providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, and their offerings. 4. Service models: Familiarize yourself with different service models like SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. 5. Continuous learning: Stay updated with evolving trends and advancements in cloud computing technologies and practices.

Il me semble que cela relève plus du génie logiciel, ou de la programmation bas niveau. Effectivement avoir des notions est une bonne chose. Cependant, ce point est moins important pour moi par rapport au fait d'avoir plutôt manipulé des formats de données et des bases de données.

1. Core concepts: Understand fundamental data structures like arrays, lists, trees, and graphs, along with common algorithms like sorting and searching. 2. Application in design: Choose and implement suitable data structures and algorithms to optimize system performance and scalability. 3. Analyze complexity: Evaluate time and space complexity to ensure efficient processing of data. 4. Optimization: Optimize data structures and algorithms for improved performance and scalability. 5. Continuous learning: Stay updated with advancements and best practices in data structures and algorithms to enhance system design skills.

Not all architects are good communicators or can articulate how a solution can address a business pain. Those that can do that will definitely stand out.

I consider this the toughest part. Most of the other skills are dependent just on you (architect), and hence easier to build, but this involves a lot more folks. This is key to win the trust from all levels of people, from developers to executives, and also establish a good working relationship. If your stakeholders are not ready to collaborate with you, the outcome is never good both for you and the business. Since all stakeholders have their own priorities, looking for a win-win opportunities and communicating effectively is key here. This involves a lot of time since building trust doesn't come easy and may take multiple cycles too.

In my opinion, FinOps and Infraestructure operations are key skills that should not be slipped through the cracks for anyone who wants to be a good architect

Start with small, manageable steps: Listen More: Make an effort to listen actively in meetings and discussions. This helps you understand others' viewpoints and needs better. Explain Simply: Practice explaining your designs in simple terms. Use analogies or visuals if it helps make things clearer. Seek Feedback: After meetings or presentations, ask for feedback on your communication style. Use this to improve. Resolve Disputes: When disagreements arise, focus on finding common ground and solutions that address everyone's concerns. Show Empathy: Try to see things from others' perspectives, especially when there's a conflict or misunderstanding.

Ce qui est important à prendre en compte est le contexte de l'organisation dans lequel architecturer un système demandé. En effet, le contexte a ses contraintes, ses marges de manœuvre spécifiques, et son historique : - délai de réalisation - compétences disponibles - budget - documentation

1. System architecture patterns: Understand and apply architectural patterns like microservices, event-driven architecture, and serverless. 2. Security principles: Learn about encryption, authentication, authorization, and other security concepts relevant to system architecture. 3. Performance optimization: Master techniques for improving system performance, such as caching, load balancing, and database indexing. 4. Containerization: Gain expertise in containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes for efficient deployment and scaling. 5. CI/CD practices: Implement continuous integration and continuous deployment pipelines to automate software delivery and improve agility.

A skill that is often underrated but definitely adds value to architect IT Systems is to comprehend Business needs and User requirements and translate them into effective and efficient technical solutions that align seamlessly with organizational objectives.

One of the most important tenets of a successful system architect is to always keep one boot in the mud and never forget the craft required to actually build the systems you design. Make sure to regularly spend some time in a lab, writing code, designing circuits or whatever else makes up the critical building blocks of your designs. Failing to do this increases your risk of becoming an “Ivory tower architect”: someone that designs systems which are increasingly difficult to realize and based on outdated principles and paradigms. Keeping the craft alive on the other hand will ensure that your designs stay well grounded in reality and improve your chances of being up to date with the latest developments in your field.

Inspiration from real world is best way to groom oneself in System Architecture. For example, Systems such as education system, legal system etc. By closely observing these systems, and appliance of observations into IT System.

As the Systems Architect or Technical Architect, you're the Tyrannosaurus Rex of you technical team. The smartest guy in the room. Developers should be able to approach you with design/coding queries. Ops guys should be able to come to you with run-time production problems. This means you need to stay abreast of technologies (development and run-time) that make up your stack. This gets more difficult with time as you often get pulled into meetings and other ad hoc activities limiting your time to learning tech/tools, often needing to put in the effort after-hours. Its a thankless pursuit, as the better you get, the more people want slices of you.