Summary

An architect is like a pilot. He does not look busy all the time, but he leveages years of expertise to monitor the situation and take immediate action in case of out-of-the-ordinary events. The project manager performs the management chores, freeing the architect from the hassles of operational tasks. The architect is responsible for the quality of the engagement and the delivery to business.

This will be difficult to achieve without authority and requisite skills, which is key to the success of any engagement. An excellent architect should be able to spot an issue in the landscape, get the team together, and, without picking victims, explain the issues and provide an elegant resolution. It is respectable for an architect to ask for help from his team. The team should feel they are part of the journey, but the architect should orchestrate these discussions and recommend the right road map.