Architecture - Top 10 Traits of a Software Architect

Following are the top 10 traits described below:

1. Knowledge of relevant technologies
   • Should demonstrate strong expertise with areas of technology in which he is aiming to be an architect
2. Strong analysis & design skills
   • Should demonstrate strong analytical and design skills.
   • Should be aware of design patterns for solving different kind of problems.
3. Coding & POCs
   • Should be very strong with coding in relevant technologies as per the technology stack of the organization
   • Should be able to do quick POCs
4. Architecture & design activities
   • Should be able to architect and design the solutions from a given set of raw requirements
   • Should be able to consider and apply different aspects such as some of the following when doing architecture & design activities. This does imply that it is expected that person should have knowledge with following:
     • Tools & frameworks
     • Security
     • Performance & scalability
     • Reliability
     • Integration aspects
     • Cost-effectiveness etc
   • Should be good with different aspects of SDLC such as requirements analysis, analysis & design, development, testing, build & deploy
5. Modeling language/Tools
   • Should be able to articulate the architecture and design of a software solution using different modeling language/tools to different stakeholders including developers, fellow architects, business stakeholders (BA, product managers, senior management)
6. Architectural frameworks/Tools
   • Should be able to document different views of architecture to different stakeholders including business, application, data, infrastructure.
   • Nice-to-have: Knowledge with one or more architecture framework such as TOGAF, ZACHMAN
7. Communication
   • Should be very strong in oral & written communication (developers, testers, BAs, senior management, customer stakeholders {architects, developers, BA, senior management})
8. Training/Mentoring
   • Should be able to educate/demonstrate the industry knowledge in relation with business/technology
   • Should be able to provide training/mentoring sessions to one or more teams
9. Sales/Pre-sales
   • Should be able to participate in pre-sales activities such as some of the following. This is relevant to those who are working in a software services organization.
     • Proposing technology solutions
     • Estimating the size and cost to develop proposed solution using one or more estimation techniques
     • Interact with prospective clients
10. Presentation Skills
    • It helps in some of the following manner if the person has good presentation skills.
      • Rich & informative documentation for different purpose such as proposal documentation, architecture documentation
      • Power-point presentations to different stakeholders including senior management, customers stakeholders
      • Training & mentoring