I was just thinking of what description or title I should put on my next iteration of business cards. My current title reads as “Software Architect and Solutions Developer“. I really like the “Solutions Developer” part because I’ve always been fond of the idea of creating solutions to problems. I’ve done exactly that a LOT.
The other part of the title description, Software Architect, is something that has left me somewhat frustrated as of late. Also my previous discussion on the topic still leaves specifics on what the heck an architect really is. Not the function of what has come to be a software architect, but the other connotations and annoyance by many in the industry by the title. Let me outline a few of these;
- An architect is traditionally someone who designs based on a standard or proven practice within the building industry. These people create great structures which we work in, live in, play in, and generally use for all sorts of things. They design the architecture for physical buildings. Generally they do not fail.
- Software architects do a similar task, designing things that do things for us. Often software architects fail, maybe I shouldn’t say the architects, but more software projects. The industry has no real solid practices or methodologies, we’re working on it, but none are proven like those that are in the building industry.
- Software architects are often very dumb about the use of the word architect than those that are traditional architects. Architect is NOT A FREAKING VERB. Architect is an adjective. It describes and does not do anything. It drives me nuts how such an educated lot of society uses a word with such incorrect context on so frequent a basis. Stop it!
- Solutions developer sounds creative to me, software architect does not. It just sounds like someone who sits in an ivory tower and dictates things. Maybe sometimes that is exactly what software architects do (those that most closely match their more traditional brethren), but generally it just sounds stuffy and boring to me. I’m someone who implements solutions.
So with those reasons enumerated, anyone got some ideas for title descriptions? I ponder what else I should put on my business card, since in reality, it only reflects me as an individual and not particularly a company. I want it to specifically detail what I do though, because I am proud and very satisfied with what I do, and it is a huge part of my life.
Ideas?