Jason Yuen’s Post

How to spot an ivory tower architect? ❌ Have beautiful charts and diagrams but those boxes and arrows don’t map to the reality of how the system actually works ❌ Pretend to represent the average engineer in the leadership table where in reality a tiny fraction of their time (if at all) is spent living the life of the average developer. ❌ Resort to rituals like tech committees which are objectively too expensive for what they deliver. ❌ Demand that all decisions go through them as opposed to teams working together to evolve a system design. Shout out to Neo Kim and Alex Xu who have made system design accessible to the masses. Architecture is NOT a fulltime job. It is every engineer's responsibility. ❌ Engage in high visibility low-impact work like tech radars without lending a hand to do the actual migration or refactoring. ❌ Issuing “maturity models” and “self-assessment” manifestos while conveniently keeping silent about the the responsibility of the company to invest in talent, upskilling, and organizational architecture. ❌ Design systems that look great on paper but are too flaky when implemented. That’s because they miss hands-on experience with the very artifact they’re designing for. ❌ Seeing their engineering peers who are below them in the career ladder as disposable rows of an spreadsheet because “architect is only concerned with tech not the flesh”. Read more about the most important pitfall for Staff+ Engineers, practical tips how NOT to become an ivory tower architect and how to prevent hiring/promoting this type of engineer. #career #staffEngineer #systemDesign https://lnkd.in/dQbw8BxJ

There’s a worrying trend where people believe that architecture is some kind of democratic process where everyone gets a say in how the system should be built, with no specific role having accountability for the results of this. Sometimes, in the right team with the right dynamics, this can actually happen. And when it does, it feels amazing. In companies paying large salaries that attract the best engineers, it’s more likely to happen. The problem of course is that this leads to the kind of cargo culting so beloved of the industry. If that team could collaborate easily then collaboration is assumed to be the key to good architecture, just like that CEO who is successful because they get up at 0400 and do deadlifts before answering emails. Good architecture and good collaboration is the result of having good architects, take away the good architects and you collaborate on failure. I’ve spent a huge chunk of my career in project rescue, cleaning up messes caused by this exact kind of cargo culting. Democratic wishful thinking and a weird unscientific belief in the “emergence” of architecture through coding is a short cut to disaster and a repeated anti-pattern. I understand that we wish the world was different, that it wasn’t as hard, but wishful thinking does not bring quality. If it did, we would never have needed to even have the conversation about architecture, and no project would ever fail. I understand the industry wide frustration with established hierarchy, but pretending that everyone is on the same level is doing a disservice to those out in front and those who aren’t but want to grow. The key is to educate more people to be able to do the job, not cargo culting and cliches.

Why Being Easy to Work With is an underrated Skill in Architecture As an architect, your technical skills are undoubtedly impressive. But there's another skill that can set you apart and make you a sought-after collaborator: being easy to work with. Let's face it, working with difficult architects can be a nightmare. Clients dread the constant revisions, missed deadlines, and general lack of communication. Here's how you can avoid those pain points and become the architect everyone wants to work with Be responsive:Return emails and calls promptly. Let clients know when you're unavailable or need more time to respond. Communicate clearly:Use plain language and avoid jargon. Keep clients informed about project progress and any potential challenges. Be flexible:Be open to feedback and willing to make changes. Remember, the goal is to create a project that meets the client's needs. Be positive:Maintain a positive attitude, even when things get tough. A little enthusiasm can go a long way. By being easy to work with, you'll not only build strong relationships with clients but also attract more opportunities. So let's make it our mission to be the architects everyone loves to collaborate with! Share your thoughts on the importance of being easy to work with in the comments below. Let's inspire each other to become better collaborators! #easytoworkwith #architecttips #clientsuccess #happyclients #architecture

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫? 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟓 𝐇𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝! In the competitive field of architecture, the margin for error is slim. Yet, many architects unknowingly embrace habits that diminish their effectiveness and hamper their career progression. Today, we dive into the "5 Habits That Make You a Useless Architect" - a must-read for professionals committed to their craft. 1. Procrastination: The architect's nemesis. Delaying tasks not only impacts project timelines but also compromises quality. Time management isn't just a skill; it's a necessity. 2. Poor Communication: The blueprint for disaster. Architecture thrives on clear, concise, and continuous communication. Without it, even the most brilliant designs can crumble. 3. Resistance to Change: Technology and trends are ever-evolving. An architect stuck in their ways is a relic of the past. Embrace innovation or risk obsolescence. Engage with us for more insights and like if you believe in the avoiding these habits ! , check out "Developers Road Ahead" at https://lnkd.in/dmJw9ekT. 4. Lack of Planning: Failing to plan is planning to fail. Every detail matters in architecture, and overlooking the minutiae can lead to significant setbacks. 5. Not Learning from Mistakes: The greatest architects are those who build on their failures. Ignoring past errors is like designing without a foundation. Avoid these pitfalls to ensure your career in architecture is as robust and enduring as the structures you aspire to create. #Architecture #CareerDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth #developerroadahead #devroadahead #ArchitecturalDesign #InnovationInArchitecture #ProjectManagement

Interested in becoming an architect? Here are 7 top traits to help you forge a meaningful and enjoyable career in architecture. ✏️ Learn from others - reach out to mentors and senior architects to develop your skillset. ✏️ Be a problem solver - curiosity is a great strength. Question how things will work and look for ways to improve them. ✏️ Practice communication - good people skills are important. You'll need to be able to listen and understand what your client is looking for as well as negotiate when needed. ✏️ Build your technical knowledge - architecture isn’t just about design, so having some enthusiasm for the technical side of things (e.g. maths, physics and IT) is a big advantage. ✏️ Embrace mistakes - failing isn’t a bad thing, it’s a stepping stone to becoming better. Show perseverance by acknowledging your mistakes and learning from them. ✏️ Network, network, network - take every opportunity to make new connections and build relationships. ✏️ Never stop learning - The more knowledge and skills you have, the more you’ll progress in your career and be presented with new opportunities. Make every day a learning day! We believe these valued qualities make for an excellent architect. If you’re new to architecture and can take these tips on board, you’ll be on your way to crafting a career to be proud of! Read more on our blog at ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eeHR4P39

🗣️🗣️ 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 🗣️🗣️ hearing this yapp too often these days. Let me tell you something. Cutting corners leads to trouble. Architectural debt (the slow build-up of bad design choices) will seriously harm a project over time. When companies cut back on architects, they open the door to 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀: components don’t fit together, adding new features becomes difficult, and overall performance drops. Architects are like conductors of an orchestra, making sure everything works well together. They focus on the long-term needs of the system, enforce best practices, and stop costly mistakes before they happen. Developers, on the other hand, dive deep into specific areas of the code, delivering detailed solutions. Both roles are crucial and 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆: architects provide the broad vision, while developers bring that vision to life with their focused expertise. Many organizations have cut architects and highly qualified engineers over the last couple of years, claiming progress is still happening. That’s just the momentum of previous work. Grab some popcorn 🍿 and watch as these systems slowly begin to fail over the next few years. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. 🥂 Cheers to all the architects out there who are doing their best to design and create resilient and reliable systems in healthcare, payments, transportation, energy, education, telecommunications cybersecurity etc. The world literally depends on you. #SoftwareDevelopment #Architecture #TechLeadership #ArchitecturalDebt #Innovation

When I was an architect, I struggled so much balancing the design work which I enjoyed so much, and ensuring that a project was on track. When I started Monograph, I realized, that tracking is only valuable if I knew what I was tracking towards'. I also realized timesheet needed to be incredibly smart, "time" itself needs to serve as my stopwatch and as my pacing mechanism across all projects. An Architecture practice: A good plan requires a clear goal A good system is intuitive and easy A good culture fosters a healthy level of accountability, visibility, and autonomy The result??? Projects now land on-time and on-budget. #projectmanagement #architecture #timemanagement #architect #engineer

Solve construction problems, not modeling. If you do? You'll build a BIM-oriented practice. That's what most architects miss. Do this well and it will give you a platform to collaborate and help your customers understand their projects better. It's not too difficult to start. • Think like a contractor • Spend more time in the field • Build a team with a proactive attitude Learn to master this and watch how your architecture practice changes. What are your thoughts? ♻️ Reshare if this was helpful.

I see many architects shying away from adopting new technology. Resistance to change is holding them back. Why is that? Architects are reluctant to integrate new technology because they have been getting results with their old methods for years. More often than not, architects are afraid of changing their workflow. Even if that means an increase in productivity and better ways of collaboration. Some architects are unwilling to invest in upgrading their skills and getting technology to streamline their design process. ________ What’s your take? ♻️ Reshare if you find this useful.

#Range in Architecture: #generalise + #specialise #What_does_an_architect_do? archi-manager More than half of the professional competencies for architecture relate to project and design management covering risk, programming, resourcing, value and budget management, contract administration and procurement. All architects have deep capability in in managing project deliverables and optimising outcomes for our clients. Some of us actually love this part of the profession so much – we do it full time! #Architecture is one of the great generalist #professions. Architects #oscillate between broad knowledge and deep specialisation. It is the Architect’s #range that underscores their capability to weave together competing #priorities and #optimize project outcomes across #sustainability, #cost, spatial #utilisation and #experience, #engineering inputs, #lifecycle, #biodiversity, #materiality, #constructability, #aesthetics and engage with the human condition. There are a myriad of archi-career typologies in the profession. There is no one size fits all….. For some of us #LessIsMore. For some of us #LessIsABore….and for others #More&More&MoreisMore. This insta-series uncovers careers in Architecture explored through expanding range.