In my twenty years as a software engineer I've moved up from entry level developer through senior engineer to architect. I used to think being an architect was building MVPs and deciding what frameworks to use. As I've been in this role I've learned that there are a lot more parts to being a software architect than just the technical details. Being a good software architect isn't about drawing Visio diagrams or throwing buzzwords around at meetings. Instead it’s about taking responsibility for the decisions that carry real weight, those are technical, financial, and operational. Architecture is a lot of leadership and mentoring as much as it is deciding what stack to use.
In this blog post I break down the top principles of being a software architect. This applies for both in-house roles and consulting. Since I'm a consultant, I'll lean into that world more, but the principles apply to both scenarios.
Own the Problem, Not Just the Code
I don't measure an architect's value by the elegance of their code; instead, I look at whether the system they're designing solves the business problem and how they handle problems. When things go sideways—and they will—you don’t blame the framework, other developers, or vendors; you have to own it. Your job is to bridge business goals and technical execution, and you don’t get to sidestep being accountable. Standing up when something goes wrong and taking the hit will go a long way in the eyes of your team, especially if you are a consultant. Part of your job is to take the fall when something goes wrong on your watch. Clients are usually less upset if you made the error versus one of the in-house engineers.
Simplicity Beats Cleverness
Complex systems fail quietly and expensively. If no one can understand the system in six months, it’s already on life support. A good architect knows when to stop being clever and instead design for clarity, stability, and maintainability. Choosing the simplest way isn't the wrong way. Sometimes the easy route can also be the best route. As the architect, you have to balance ease of use and what's the 'best'. There are often many ways to accomplish the business goal; the architect's job is to find the route that fits best with the team they have and the business. Future engineers should be able to step in without needing a decoder ring, and the business should—from a high level—understand the system at work.
Think in Terms of Lifecycles
Every system will evolve over time. Architect systems for the long game. That means plan for scaling, integration, replacement. You don't have to build these things in place now, but plan for them. Patterns and frameworks are tools, but the real skill is designing a system that can adapt down the road. Your architecture should make change easier, not harder. Document your thinking and what the long term vision is.
Lead by Making Hard Calls
You’ll be forced to choose between competing pressures: timelines, business demands, budgets, technical ability, and time. You need to gather as much information as possible to come up with a decision that works the best. There's rarely a truly correct answer, but there is a decision that you need to come up with that you can live with. As the lead technical resource on a project, there isn't someone else you can pass this responsibility off to. When it comes to difficult project decisions, you have to make the call, own the tradeoff(s), and keep the project moving. This is a leadership position; that means being the one who decides when no one else will.
Security and Compliance Are Non-Negotiable
Making sure that the team is not shipping insecure or non-compliant software is extremely important. A rushed feature isn’t worth regulatory fines, data breaches, or destroyed credibility. As the architect, you are the backstop, so if something is flagged or there is a breach, you are the first person who is going to get that phone call. Your job is to say no. Over time, you will discover that saying 'no' will actually help your reputation as an architect and engineer.
Communicate Like an Executive, Deliver Like an Engineer
The best architects have the ability to speak to both the business and technical folks. To be successful in this position, you have to be able to explain a system to a CEO as well as the development team. Both groups will have different language, but both need to understand the system the same. The role requires translating complexity into clarity without dumbing it down. In my experience as a consultant in healthcare, I've explained software systems to doctors, researchers, biostatisticians, C-level stakeholders, and everyone on the technology teams. I find that writing documentation and blog posts has helped me strengthen my ability to speak to these different groups. Another method to help me speak these different languages has been to work closely with someone from each of these groups. Working with these people helps me grasp their technical understanding as well as their backgrounds, which helps me relate the system we are building to their level of expertise.
Mentor, Don’t Dictate
An architect’s value isn’t in telling people what to do. It’s being able to see and understand the entire system and then enabling developers to succeed inside the system you're designing. I have never had success being micromanaged or micromanaging other developers. I have the same philosophy in parenting as I do in leading software teams. Your job is to create guardrails, set standards, and help guide children/engineers to the goal that we've set. Just keep them inside those guardrails to make sure they don't swerve too far outside the lines. Trust in your people to make the right calls and get their work done. I like to check in to make sure someone isn't stuck on a problem and afraid to ask for help. Otherwise, I trust that the engineers I'm working with are also in the same mindset as me and want to deliver a great product. Strong architects build teams that deliver consistently without relying on them as bottlenecks.
The Weight of Trust
Being a software architect is a responsibility. A responsibility to your coworkers but also the company that is hiring you. Companies put their future (and often millions of dollars) in your hands. The job is to prove, over and over, that your judgment is sound, your systems hold up, and your leadership can be trusted when it matters most.
In conclusion, being a software architect is a lot of responsibility. It's 50% technology and 50% soft skills, so having the ability to work with other people is equally as important as writing good code. I'm a firm believer that anyone can learn syntax pretty quickly without too much repetition, but learning how to deal with the business and stakeholders takes time and more effort to become an expert.