#018 - Give Architects the Problem, Not the Architecture

A design review starts with someone who already has the answer: "We need microservices." Or Kubernetes, or an event-driven architecture, or a new API platform. The room spends the next hour justifying a decision nobody actually discussed. This episode is about that moment, and the mistake underneath it. The mistake isn't giving architects too much direction, or too little. It's giving them direction at the wrong altitude -- a solution instead of a problem. Gregor Hohpe's "Architect Elevator" describes the levels a good architect has to move between; this episode argues leadership's job is to state the destination and the constraints, then get out of the machine room. We walk through why architecture is creative work, but creativity isn't the deliverable -- architects are paid for outcomes like reduced risk and faster delivery, not for diagrams. We use Hershey's 1999 ERP rollout as the real, named case for what happens when a leader fixes the technology and the calendar before anyone defines the actual problem: a Halloween season with empty shelves and a nine-figure loss, from a project that was never really about SAP. And we get into the reflex that causes it: "we need microservices" is a solution dressed up as a requirement. It skips the problem-definition conversation entirely, including the option that's usually invisible on that list -- doing nothing. The practical shift is simple to state and hard to practice: state the problem, the business motivation, and the constraints -- then stop, and leave the design to the people accountable for building it. Dmytro Golodiuk is a highly experienced technology professional with over 17 years in the software industry. His proficiency spans cloud computing, enterprise platforms, software development, and integration technologies, with deep expertise in the Microsoft ecosystem. Dmytro combines his technical knowledge with formal Enterprise Architecture frameworks like TOGAF and ArchiMate to deliver robust and practical solutions. In addition to his architectural work, Dmytro is a passionate mentor dedicated to helping others grow in their IT careers. https://mentor.sh/mentors/dmytro_golodiuk⁠⁠ 🟦 IF YOU'RE A MID TO SENIOR ENGINEER WHO Aspires to become a Solution Architect. Recognizes the need to develop beyond great technical skills. Is ready to embrace the mindset and responsibilities of an architect. ✅ Then I'm the mentor you're looking for. Let's work together to unlock your potential and lay the bridge to your future as a Solution Architect. ⁠⁠https://mentor.sh/mentors/dmytro_golodiuk⁠⁠ --------- This podcast episode is an AI-narrated version of the original text-based articles from Dmytro's personal blog, which you can find at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.golodiuk.com/news⁠⁠⁠⁠