Practical (a.k.a. Actually Useful) Architecture • Stefan Tilkov • GOTO 2023

Discover the practical aspects of architecture, focusing on awareness, informed decisions, and adaptability to ensure successful and effective organizational solutions.

Key takeaways
  • Practical architecture is about being aware of the context and making informed decisions based on that.
  • Being aware of the limits of your knowledge and understanding is crucial in architectural work.
  • It’s not about acting on assumptions or dependencies, but about understanding the trade-offs and making decisions based on that understanding.
  • Architecture is about solving a problem, not about building something cool.
  • It’s not about the technology, but about the people and the organization.
  • The focus of architectural work is not about creating a perfect architecture, but about creating an architecture that serves the needs of the organization.
  • The goals of architectural work are about enabling the organization to make informed decisions, to create a flexible and adaptable architecture, and to enable change.
  • The key to successful architectural work is to be aware of the context and the constraints, and to make informed decisions based on that.
  • Architecture is not a one-time activity, but an ongoing process that requires continuous adaptation and refinement.
  • The successful architect is one who is able to balance competing interests and make informed decisions that benefit the organization.
  • The focus of architectural work should be on enabling the organization to make informed decisions, rather than on creating a perfect architecture.
  • The successful architect is one who is able to communicate effectively and to balance competing interests.
  • The goal of architectural work is to create an architecture that serves the needs of the organization, not to create a perfect architecture.
  • The key to successful architectural work is to be aware of the context and the constraints, and to make informed decisions based on that.
  • The successful architect is one who is able to adapt to changing circumstances and to make informed decisions that benefit the organization.
  • The focus of architectural work should be on enabling the organization to make informed decisions, rather than on creating a perfect architecture.
  • The successful architect is one who is able to communicate effectively and to balance competing interests.