Focusing on Components Means Missing the Big Picture

by Ken Orr

I am always surprised to find myself in discussions with people who have architect titles and who have little feeling about the key concepts of architecture. Too many members of the current generation of technical experts have very little comprehension of what differentiates systems from programs or services. As a consequence, they and the companies that they counsel are doomed to a very limited set of options: 1) purchase and install packages, 2) hire outsourcers to develop systems that they are incapable of maintaining, or 3) make cosmetic changes to ever older core systems.