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Logical

Breaking a problem into manageable pieces necessitate a logical approach. Another obvious positive trait to possess. However, stick with me on this. There are less obvious scenarios for which a logical approach will be your life preserve in stormy project seas.

You will come across many situations where conflicting interests can introduce progress paralysis. For example, project requirements necessitate a certain technology component selection. Organisational governance prevent this. As Solution Architect you’re stuck in the middle. As I often put it, the Solution Architect is the meat in the middle of a particularly mouldy sandwich! Project stakeholders apply pressure for one solution. Governance another. Solution Architects are stuck in the middle. What to do?

Apply pure, simple logic.

  1. There’s a problem to be solved. Define it. Don’t solutionize. Stick to the requirement. Get that definition into a Powerpoint. It’s the genesis of every part that follows. Your summary will likely be about five slides.
  2. Identify the makers. Be they business and/or technology. Familiarise yourself with the concerns and rationale contributing to the conflict. Who has a seat at the making table?
  3. You’ve summarised the problem in step one. Add the solution options. I like to add a recommendation also. Management/politics may not wish to do this. Check.
  4. Produce a meeting agenda which focuses on the relevant points. Bullet point one liners, no more than about a half dozen, meeting duration as short as possible. Thirty minutes is often all that’s needed. Core agenda item will be reviewing the analysis in your pack.
  5. Gather the makers and other stakeholders in a meeting to run through the agenda.

It’s not certain you’ll get a final resolution. However what you will highlight is where any blockers are, who is involved in unblocking them and the next steps. You will have played a crucial role in progressing things.

This is just an example where a logical, dispassionate approach moves things on. The key takeaway is applying a logical approach to problem solving extends to not just the technical aspects of the role. The core skill involved here is logic.