Architecting Solutions - My Supersonic Highway!

It all started not too long ago..4 yrs to be precise..when I stepped into my first "work". Yeah...being late to office, but apart from that I learnt what it takes to be successful..You gotta "think".

The first project I was assigned to, was quite challenging. Add to it, it was an emerging technology which was still in Beta 1. I managed to develop a solution in 2 days. Everyone was surprised, incl my boss. The then IT Director, Mr. Lim Kok Meng, came to me and asked me to explain what I had done. Then he classified it as a failure. This is what he said:

"If you think you are doing good, stop and think. You will do better"

I was confused. I dint work much for 2 days after that. I just wanted an answer..Then I asked him and he said:

"If you think you are doing bad, dont stop to think. You cant do worse"

The above can be taken in an optimistic and pessimistic way, but being me, I managed to think of a better way and managed to create one of the first methods of implementing it using .Net in the world. This made me happy. But I still dint understand what he meant. When I asked him he said:

"If you think you dont know, think and you will become better"

OK, I know it gets a bit philosophical, irritating and what not, but these words made an impact. The curious me started to think.

The last time I talked to him (I do bump into him quite often), and yeah, asked him, he just smiled. Said some things are better experienced than taught.

Anywayz, the big build up is for this. My concept of what it takes to succeed..I know a bit abt IT industry but I guess it can be applied anywhere.

People-Processes-Technology-Tools (P2T2) - Copyrighted :P

People are the core of anything u wanna do, if u dont have the right people, any project is going to fail. Its about the attitude of people as much as its the expertise of people. Strong emphasis of the right people to fit the job is vital, while ensuring continuity and enhancement through new ideas and a vibrant working environment.

Processes are core to the business and how we deal with a business problem. Solution Architecting is all about mapping the business processes and thus domain knowledge is equally important. Business models, design methologies are all processes. These are intuitively classified as "theory", the word itself capable of eliciting a yawn. Developers often mock them, but once these are implemented by someone, the same developers can do wonders with the same processes.

Technology is core to efficiently and effectively deliver the solution to the business problems. Quality is as much important and thus, good technology can serve the ideal purpose. Bad ones can ruin it. Best Practices are often made a mockery of, and is similar to design methodologies. Use it and gain from it, else lose it and get pain from it.

Tools are often underestimated, but are equally important for the effective use of technology. Imagine IT companies without KB search tools, Google or even Project Management tools. In the automated world of today, where our physical memory is seamlessly replaced by hard disks (ofcourse, it makes u absent minded and makes our brain die a slow death, but we are conditioned into this and all we can do is to think harder to make use of some grey cells atleast). These tools are very vital in ensuring concentration of resources in critical areas rather than trivial areas.

Hope I have given a exhaustive brief about what it takes, according to me. Keep thinkin and travel on the highway! What abt me? Im stuck in a traffic jam right now :P

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