A Few Good Architects

One of my all time favourite movies is A Few Good Men (1992). This is a prime example of why Nicholson (Colonel Jessep), Cruise (Lt Kaffee) and Moore (Lt Cmdr Galloway) are Hollywood superstars. From time to time, after watching the final courtroom scene on YouTube, I catch myself walking around muttering "You can't handle the truth!". I have extracted a few themes from this classic that I hope Architects, both new and experienced, might benefit from.

From recent experience, both preparing and reviewing Solutions, I would wager that most Architects get nervous when presenting at Architecture Review Board (ARB). Presenting your design to a group of your peers and getting feedback, sometimes negative, is tough. This is where the rubber hits the road and depending on the nature of the solution, you might be expected to have a magical ability to see around corners.

Tip #1: Prepare and Pre-review: Lt Kaffee spent an incredible amount of time preparing before he got to trial. To avoid potential embarrassment during ARB, always review your approach with key stakeholders beforehand. This not only prevents surprise questions, it also allows you to socialise the design, preferably in a calmer 1:1 context. More importantly, you are showing respect by asking for feedback you can incorporate into your submission. Although this might require additional time while preparing your submission, think about the potential time lost if you're declined or deferred.

Tip #2: ARB is a Shark Tank: Colonel Jessep unravelled because he lost his cool. Don't be complacent when preparing or presenting a submission. Be confident. If you're overly nervous, it could be equated that you don't fully believe in your submission. From experience and observation, once there's a "drop of blood" (flaw/oversight/assumption/gap), the sharks (Architects) will start circling. Pick your battles. You do not want to get drawn into lengthy debates/discussions. Again, if you've pre-reviewed, this should not happen. Understand that some sharks will need to flash their teeth to let the forum know they're in attendance. Be patient and afford them the opportunity to be heard.

Tip #3: Understand and appreciate the process: Colonel Jessep exclaims that "we live in a world that has walls and those walls need to be guarded by men with guns". Remember, a primary responsibility of the Architects reviewing your submission is to protect the organisation. You might think they live in an Ivory Tower and have no grasp on the technological reality of a modern Architecture. However, on their way to that Ivory Tower, they most likely gained years of battle-experience keeping systems running, while you were still in school. Always keep in mind that approval of your submission is not an admin exercise - it is a vital step in the software development lifecycle!

Tip #4: Be aware of your bias: Colonel Jessep could not contain his bias and abused his power. As a reviewer, you have an equally important responsibility to help solution a requirement. It is far too easy to identify flaws. For each gap you see, try to offer a solution or provide direction. Keep your bias (conscious and unconscious) in check. Listen to the submission and ask your fellow reviewers to keep you in check. Technology is constantly changing and new or different approaches helps you keep abreast of these changes. Be open to change.

Tip #5: A declined submission does not equal failure: Kaffee and Galloway went through a number of highs and lows, but never gave up. Although it is difficult, a declined or deferred submission does not mean you've failed. One of the amazing aspects of an ARB is that the process is data-driven. If your submission is declined, there has to be a reason. Try your best to clearly understand the reason for the decline and spend time to get the detail or request an offline session to unpack the concern. You can only fix a problem if you clearly understand it. Although you might have to return to the drawing board, you can now do so with the knowledge to remediate the gap or issue raised. Keep at it. Do your best (within reason) to get approval instead of seeking dispensation to bypass approval.

Kaffee points out that "you don't need a patch on your arm to have honour". As an Architect, you should always work with honour!

I hope that you can handle this truth!

If you have any tips, advice or anecdotes for how you prepare/review for an ARB, please feel free to comment.