Systems Architecture Guilds As Architectural Solutions Accelerators

As software professionals, we deal with complexity and uncertainty on a daily basis. In fact, we are often masters at understanding all the various forms of systems complexity, and often are proficient at coherently communicating designs and solutions.

Unfortunately, within and amongst organizations, we set ourselves up as “the expert” – as prima donnas, if you will. Oftentimes, we set up unnecessary psychological competitions amongst peers, rather than treating peers and the wider software community as just that: collaborative and self-improving communities. Surely, there are better ways of working as a community and a society that promote individual and community growth, learning, and exponential improvement.

In this workshop, Darrell Rials presents an argument for participating in open, safe-space, supportive collaborations: software and systems architecture guilds. Darrell briefly highlights examples of the guild (or collegium) concept in historical and current-day contexts, with their benefits and detriments, and explains why many of today’s attempts at sustaining organization-driven architecture teams are nothing more than vain attempts at empire-building or box-checking procedural show.

Darrell lays out some key grounding principles for the effective collaboration of architects in a broad-based software practitioners’ guild, and addresses a few immediate questions about the mechanics of undertaking and sustaining such endeavor as practicing architects. Almost as importantly, we address a key question: What’s in it for me?

About Darrell Rials

Darrell Rials is an accomplished software and enterprise developer and architect, having helped teams deliver worthwhile technology solutions for over 25 years in the engineering, manufacturing, building automation controls, financial services, and telecommunications industries. A lifelong learner, writer, and teacher, Darrell maintains an abundance mindset, believes that the way we treat people matters a lot, and is grateful for life’s opportunities to experience wonder, challenge, and change.

More About Darrell »