Jserv's blog

"Architects" & "architect"

在解釋標題前，必須提到 Stuart's blog [Big "A", little "a"] 這篇，他提到：

"Perhaps two of the most abused words in the IT industry are architecture and architect. Architects fulfil roles anywhere from hardware presales to aligning technology to the requirements of the business. Architecture describes anything from a computer block diagram to a blueprint for enterprise automation."

這讓我想到 Martin Fowler 大師的文章 [Is Design Dead?]，裡面有一節提到：

Do you wanna be an Architect when you grow up?

For much of the last decade, the term "software architect" has become popular. It's a term that is difficult personally for me to use. My wife is a structural engineer. The relationship between engineers and architects is ... interesting. My favorite was "architects are good for the three B's: bulbs, bushes, birds". The notion is that architects come up with all these pretty drawings, but it's the engineers who have to ensure that they actually can stand up. As a result I've avoided the term software architect, after all if my own wife can't treat me with professional respect what chance do I stand with anyone else?

In software, the term architect means many things. (In software any term means many things.) In general, however it conveys a certain gravitas, as in "I'm not just a mere programmer - I'm an architect". This may translate into "I'm an architect now - I'm too important to do any programming". The question then becomes one of whether separating yourself from the mundane programming effort is something you should do when you want to exercise technical leadership.

This question generates an enormous amount of emotion. I've seen people get very angry at the thought that they don't have a role any more as architects. "There is no place in XP for experienced architects" is often the cry I hear.

的確，軟體架構師 (software architect) 一詞在 IT 產業是近來相當熱門的字眼，而就我有限的經驗來說，我的顧問工作也常常被對映到這個項目，Martin Fowler 表示難以接受此術語，他太太是位建築工程師，並且他巧妙的用一句話比喻架構師與工程師之間的微妙差異：

「架構師喜好三種東西：球狀物、灌木叢和鳥。架構師畫出這些美麗的圖畫，卻要工程師保證能全都做出來。」

Stuart 則是試圖釐清 "Architects" & "architect" 兩者的關係：

Taking a step back, dictionary.com defines an architect as "One who designs and supervises the construction of buildings or other large structures". Working with this definition then we can draw a distinction between what I like to call Small "a" architects - those who can design and supervise the construction of enterprises, and Big "A" Architects - those with architect in their job title.

或許，在這個大寫 "A" 與小寫 "a" 之間，我們需要更能明確描述工作內容與具體細節的用詞，而非空泛的稱謂。
由 jserv 發表於 February 26, 2006 06:02 PM