1. Architectural Compentency

2.  Business Success

3.  How do you measure success ◦ backwards looking – derived from history? ◦ is it forward looking? – ability to meet new opportunities?  Architecture as a process Cost / benefit of process?  Where is the value? ◦ Hardware/Software?

4.  Social and technical indicators:  ]’Business strategy and technical strategy must be aligned with good flow of information.  Architectural awareness (trade-offs and risks) ◦ Ability to make decisions and awareness of rationality behind decision (indicator evidence).  Salary – company values architects  Defined role of architect with clearly defined responsibility and authority.  Who are my peers? ◦ Are the current architects competent? ◦ Does management understand they are competent?  More than just technical skills.

5.  Single point of accountability – who is in charge?!  Wide awareness, domain, technology, attends conference. Organization recognizes need for personal growth.  Defined role and responsibility – or clear ability to organize  Communication – clear understandable exchange of information. Facilitates communication between team members. Happy to share knowledge.  Effective team player.  Architect is ready to move on (not entrenched or defending their position) ◦ Willing to share knowledge, enable someone else to do their job.

6.  Can assessor understand architecture after a reasonable time?  How well is architectural knowledge shared in the organization? ◦ Truck number?  Are documentation artifacts used? ◦ How is architectural knowledge persisted/communicated? Transferrable?  Domain expertise?  Just enough architecture?

7.  Please give me a good and bad architectural experience at this company? ◦ Value of architecture to company ◦ Do those in charge understand it?  When is the architecture engaged in the software development lifecycle?  Would you put the architect in front of the customer. ◦ Does the architect have access to the customer? (how many tiers between customer and architect?) ◦ Is architect on management team?  Architect can answer “what is good about your architecture?” and relate answer to business goal (rather than engineering)