World Congress 2023 • Sep 21, 2023

We (don't) need a software architect!?!

Unplanned architecture leads to technical amnesia, not just messy code. Learn why your team desperately needs a hands-on architect to translate complex business requirements into sustainable software.

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#1 about 3 min

Bridging internal and external stakeholder perspectives

Aligning technical implementation details with business expectations prevents critical communication gaps in projects.

#2 about 3 min

Understanding the unique characteristics of software complexity

The invisible and highly changeable nature of software requires intentional architectural translation.

#3 about 3 min

Core responsibilities of a software architect in development

Defining requirements, designing solutions, and continuously validating implementations ensures software meets overarching business goals.

#4 about 4 min

Applying non-functional requirements using industry standards

Leveraging frameworks like iso 25010 helps define crucial constraints around performance, security, and suitability.

#5 about 3 min

Identifying the root causes of systemic technical debt

Unclear requirements and missing documentation drive deep architectural decay far beyond superficial code quality issues.

#6 about 1 min

Tracking choices through architecture decision records

Capturing context, decisions, and consequences in simple records preserves essential long-term project knowledge and team intent.

#7 about 4 min

Managing long-term software evolution and lifecycle phases

Planning for extended servicing and phase-out cycles prevents critical business failures in aging legacy models.

#8 about 3 min

Distinguishing between routine refactoring and structural overhauls

Large-scale application restructuring requires deliberate planning and significant resources compared to everyday code refactoring.

#9 about 3 min

Navigating the multiple layers of enterprise systems

Aligning business operations, applications, data strategies, and tooling creates a robust and scalable technical ecosystem.

#10 about 3 min

Balancing cross-functional roles to maintain project oversight

Effective technical leadership requires blending multiple disciplines to keep teams aligned on unified long-term strategies.

Matching moments

5:27 min

Understanding the role of software architecture and quality

David Tielke

David Tielke · World Congress 2025

2:25 min

Building engineering cultures that support long-term software architecture

Oskar Kruschitz

Oskar Kruschitz · Europe 2026 Virtual

1:27 min

Navigating the software architect role and daily team responsibilities

Simon Lasselsberger · World Congress 2021

5:31 min

Improving software architecture skills through consistent writing habits

Luise Freese

Luise Freese · World Congress 2024

1:33 min

Preventing software architecture deterioration over product lifespans

Daniel Siegl +1 · LIVE

2:05 min

Architectural planning to avoid crippling requirements debt

Hendrik Lösch

Hendrik Lösch · World Congress 2025

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Upcoming sessions on this topic

World Congress 2026 North America

September 24, 2026 · 16:10–16:40

Stage 1

Stop Blaming the Model: The Art and Science of Context Engineering and Architecture

Lena Hall, Thorsten Hans

Lena Hall

Thorsten Hans

World Congress 2026 North America

September 24, 2026 · 16:10–16:40

Outdoor Stage

When Humans Stop Writing Code: Rethinking Languages, Compilers, and Responsibility

Simon Auer

Organizer of flutter vienna meetup and CEO of marqably

Simon Auer

World Congress 2026 North America

September 25, 2026 · 13:30–14:00

Outdoor Stage

The Geometry of Incidents: What User-Impact Shapes Reveal About Platform Architecture

Bala Subrahmanyam Kambala

Staff Platform Engineer at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure

Bala Subrahmanyam Kambala

World Congress 2026 North America

September 25, 2026 · 11:40–12:10

Stage 3

Culture Doesn't Scale Itself: Leading Engineering Teams Through Hypergrowth and the AI Transition

Thanos Baskous

VP of Engineering and Co-founder of Cogent Security

Thanos Baskous

World Congress 2026 North America

September 24, 2026 · 11:10–11:15

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Architecting the 100X SDLC: Building Production Trust into AI-Assisted Delivery

Ranjan Parthasarathy

Founder, CPTO/CEO at AXIOMSTUDIO.AI

Ranjan Parthasarathy

World Congress 2026 North America

September 25, 2026 · 14:10–14:40

Stage 1

The Broken Rung: How AI is Rebuilding Software Development from the Ground Up

Tomislav Tipurić

Chief Technology Officer, Nephos

Tomislav Tipurić

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From learning to earning

Jobs that call for the skills explored in this talk.

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Hamburg, Germany

Experienced €57k–84k JIRA OpenText Test Case

IT Architect Software Management

Leipzig, Germany

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IT Architect Software Management

Nürnberg, Germany

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IT Architect Software Management

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

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München, Germany

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Togaf Signavio Archimate