What is an Architect?

An Architect is the only professional within the building industry who is specifically trained in the art and science of designing and building structures. Whether you're building your own home, updating an existing structure, or creating a large commercial center, choosing the right Architect is important to a successful project. ... more

As part of a larger effort to identify the role, skills and practices of the various types of IT architects, I have assembled a survey to collect feedback from people currently carrying the title of "architect." The survey itself is relatively short (30 minutes was the average during testing) and is designed to hone in on the skills and responsibilities of various architects in their current jobs. This survey is being pursued as part of a larger research paper for presentation at conference. No information of a personal nature will be collected during the survey and cookies will only be used to help ensure that the survey is only taken once (no personal information is embedded in the cookie). If you know of others working as an architect who would be willing to participate in the survey, please forward this message or the URL itself. To begin taking the survey, please go to http://survey.newmyths.org//survey.php?sid=28. Thank you for your assistance in this effort! ... more

An architect is involved in the planning and drawing of this design, as well as overseeing its construction. This involves taking into consideration not only environmental and economic needs, but also the concerns of the construction team, which include materials and safety. The design has to be functional, thus an architect needs to have knowledge of the builder's requirements, such as which planning and building codes the construction must abide by. Ultimately the employer wants a design that is going to be most economically effective for them, giving the architect a further task to draw upon their knowledge to meet these requirements. Quite a feat to take on. ... more