What the Hell Are Architects Doing? The Architect’s Role from Startup to Enterprise

What the Hell Are Architects Doing? It’s a provocative question but an important one. The role of an architect in software development spans startups to massive enterprises, and it’s often misunderstood. Architects are like philosophers in the tech world—working through mental models, bridging communication gaps, and making sense of complex systems. This article will explore architecture, the different types of architects, and their roles in diverse organizations, from startups to enterprises.

What is Architecture?

At its core, architecture is the high-level representation, concept, and mental model that allows us to take both business and technical decisions about our systems and solution in general. It’s not just about diagrams or abstract ideas — it’s the foundation upon which we decide how a system should work to solve real problems.

Architecture is not limited to software alone. The architecture of a product encompasses both the technical and the business aspects. Architects ensure that systems solve specific problems efficiently, align with business objectives, and can scale over time. Architecture is essentially the map from reality to a solution, and it takes a philosopher’s mindset to bridge that gap.

Solution and Enterprise Architecture: It’s More About Business

Solution and enterprise architects focus more on business domains than on technology. The goal is not just to write code; it’s to solve real business problems. Often, the solution is not to develop software from scratch but to adjust processes, integrate systems, or bring the right people together to make things happen.

Enterprise and solution architects work at the intersection of technology and business processes. They understand how business needs are translated into technology solutions and how different business processes come together. Their role is not about choosing between Java or JavaScript but about aligning technology with the broader business landscape—making sure the solution addresses the organization's true needs.

Map Reality: The Concept of Mental Models

Architects operate with mental models, which are simplified representations of complex systems that help them explain how things work or should work. Creating these models is one of the key roles of an architect, as they need to capture the essence of a system—what’s critical and what’s less important—and communicate that to different stakeholders.

These models are not reality itself; they are abstractions. The architect’s job is to understand real-world problems and distill them into mental models that can guide developers, product teams, and business leaders alike. The architect must balance the fine line between simplification and accuracy, making it easy enough for everyone to understand while retaining the essence of what makes the system work.

Creating these simplified models requires a lot of skill, as architects need to distill complex ideas while preserving critical details. This process is key to ensuring that different teams — from executives to developers — can understand and engage with the architecture in a meaningful way.

Naming Things: The Philosophical Role of Architects

There is a deep philosophical aspect to architecture, especially when it comes to “naming things.” In the Bible stories, Adam in the Garden of Eden was tasked with naming every animal. To name something, you need to understand it. Architects do the same—they identify and name the components of a system, mapping the real world into the digital world.

Naming is not just an act of labeling; it is an act of understanding and simplifying complexity. When architects name components, systems, or patterns, they help the entire team frame the problem space clearly and consistently. This clarity is what allows different stakeholders to collaborate effectively and for solutions to be well understood by everyone involved.

Communicate and Teach:

Architecture Elevator: From C-Level to Developers

One of an architect's most challenging and essential roles is communication — riding the “architecture elevator,” as described in the book “The Architect Elevator.” Architects have to communicate with people at every level of the organization, from the C-level executives who speak in business goals, timelines, and budgets, to developers who are passionate about technology and want to understand the details.

On the top floor, the architects work with executives caring about ROI, scalability, and risk. In the middle, they speak with managers who are interested in timelines, staffing, and operational efficiencies. On the ground floor, they communicate with the technical teams about performance, scalability, and non-functional requirements.

Architects need to adapt their language and mental models for each group to ensure everyone is aligned. They are the bridge between these different worlds, translating strategic goals into actionable tasks for development teams.

Become all things to all people: Integration Points

Architects as Integration Points: Beyond creating mental models and naming things, architects play a critical role as integration points. They help different teams, technologies, and business units come together and work cohesively as a single unit. This is especially important in larger organizations, where products, systems, and teams often operate in silos. The architect’s ability to integrate diverse components ensures a more unified approach to solving business challenges and delivering value.

Architects help ensure that all moving parts of a project or organization fit together — aligning teams, integrating systems, and bridging gaps in communication. They make sure that the business needs are being effectively translated into technological solutions and that these solutions are being implemented cohesively.

Architects are, in essence, integration specialists who ensure that the sum of all parts is greater than the individual components. They understand the different aspects of a solution — business, technical, and operational — and make sure that all these aspects come together in a seamless, efficient, and scalable way.

become all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9:22)

Somehow, architects translate mental models into different languages and coordinate their translations for different people with different needs, focus, pains, and fears. He helps others translate and enrich this model to their own areas and then helps them implement their part of the system.

Different Types of Architects

There are many types of architects, and their focus can vary significantly:

Enterprise Architect: Concerned with the overall structure of an organization’s systems and processes.

Solution Architect: Bridges business needs and technology solutions, often integrating existing systems.

Application Architect: Focuses more closely on specific software components and how they interact.

Cloud Architect: Specializes in cloud-based infrastructure and solutions, especially critical as more companies transition to cloud ecosystems.

The type of architect you need depends on the nature of the problem you’re solving and the complexity of your systems. In small startups, the “architect” might be just the founding engineer, while in large enterprises, architecture is a specialized role requiring teams of experts.

Modern technical complexity has also led to specialization within architecture. Some architects focus on narrow business domains, while others specialize in particular technical areas such as cloud infrastructure or security. This specialization ensures that the right expertise is available for solving highly specific problems, adding even more value to the organization.

Scaling and the Limits of Architecture

Do we need architects? The answer is yes, especially as complexity grows. If you’re building something small, you may not need an architect, just like you don’t need blueprints for a doghouse. But if you’re constructing a skyscraper, you absolutely need a plan — you need architects.

In the same way, for small software projects, an architect might be overkill. But for larger systems, the absence of architectural oversight can lead to chaos, tech debt, and an inability to scale. An architect brings foresight and structure to a project, allowing the team to focus on building without getting lost in complexities.

If you don’t have a formal architect, you likely still have an architecture, even if it’s accidental — formed through ad hoc decisions made under pressure. The key is understanding when the time has come to bring in someone with a more philosophical view, someone who can help you scale, plan, and integrate effectively.

The need for architecture becomes evident as complexity increases. When building a system that needs to scale or integrate multiple components, you require someone who can create and maintain a coherent mental model, ensuring the entire structure remains stable as it grows. Without proper architecture, scaling becomes unpredictable, and the system may become brittle over time.

Conclusion

Architects are more than just technicians; they are philosophers of the technical world, deeply understanding both the business domain and the technical landscape. They map real-world problems to technical solutions, communicate those solutions effectively to diverse stakeholders, and guide organizations through complexity.

Whether at a startup, a growing enterprise, or a large corporation, the architect is essential in ensuring systems evolve to meet current and future needs. The complexity of the modern technical domain means that sooner or later, you’ll need someone with the insight to see the big picture and the ability to bring all the pieces together.