Software Architects?  We Don't Need No Stinkin Architects!

Presenter:

Michael Stiefel, Reliable Software, Inc.
www.reliablesoftware.com

Many software developers have the opinion that architecture is the job of all the developers. Not only is there no need for an architect, but having someone in that position is at best unnecessary, and at worst dangerous. This stems from a misunderstanding of what software architecture is. Ironically, this misunderstanding about architecture is also shared by many of those who do believe in the importance of having an architect.

The focus of this talk will be to correct this misunderstanding of what software or technology architecture is.

We will then be better architects. Our users will be happier, and developers will be more productive. 

Michael Stiefel, principal of Reliable Software, Inc. is a consultant on software architecture and development, and the alignment of information technology with business goals.

His current work involves:

• Distributed application development and implementation such as Software as a Service
• Software best practices in Microsoft .NET
• Technologies such as Microsoft Azure, Windows Communication Foundation, and SQL Server.
• Advising on IT strategy and planning, including budgeting, hiring, and growth management, including the appropriate use of Agile development
• Requirements analysis and project planning

He is currently a member of the OASIS Identity in the Cloud Technical Committee. As a member of an OASIS Technical Committee he helped develop a core SOA Reference Model and related Reference Architectures.

He was a Lecturer in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where his research and teaching focus was understanding how people build mental models in order to solve problems. As Adjunct faculty, Stiefel has taught graduate and undergraduate software engineering courses at Northeastern University and Framingham State University.

Michael Stiefel's education is from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a Interdisciplinary Ph.D degree in Nuclear Engineering, Political Science, and History of Technology; M.S. in Nuclear Engineering; and B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He is an active member of the IEEE Consultants Network.

PLEASE NOTE:

No charge for Consultants Network members or non-members. The meeting is free and open to the public. Casual dress.

The Consultants Network meeting starts at 6:30 PM. The meeting location is at Microsoft Corp, 201 Jones Road, 6th Floor MPR-A, Waltham, MA. From Route 128 take Exit 26 (Route 20 East or Weston Street). Turn left onto Stow Street and then left again onto Route 117 or Main Street. Drive back over route 128, and Jones Road is the second left.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=&daddr=201+Jones+Road,+Waltham,+MA&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=42.37596,-71.26972&sspn=0.012206,0.027895&ie=UTF8&z=16

For more information, e-mail cn.boston@ieee.org or jsanroma@computer.org; or contact the chairman Joe Sanroma at 617-429-7562.