The new CIO: boom or bust for architecture

I have found it to be one of the main drivers for architects to look for pastures new. It’s a question I have been asked a number of times by architects, but in todays’ current climate has become a bit more prevalent. Do you stay in an organisation where the executive stakeholders don’t care or believe in architecture?

With any activity that has critical strategic importance to organisations, there is a key requirement to get the executive stakeholders bought into what you are trying to achieve. They are the ones with the budget and the overall decision of the direction of the company. What happens when the people who you are meant to be able to lean on, who are meant to be your biggest advocates don’t trust or believe in what you are doing?

The support of the Architecture function within organisations often comes in sets of waves. Riding in on those waves are executives and behind them on the smaller set is the baggage that they have brought from previous experiences. Depending what type of executive you get and what kind of preconceived ideas they have, could drastically influence how much of an impact architecture will have within the organisation moving forward.

For every exec that understands what architecture is and how it can benefit an organisation, there are others who are operationally focused and perceive architecture as pie in the sky thinking, delivering little to no value.

If you have the ‘other’ type of exec, which I’m sure many of you have had in the past, then it can be a very nervous time. In times like these, where organisations are trying to cut down on costs and focus on core business, it becomes a fight for survival.

What are the most common approaches that I have seen in the instance that you are not supported by the top?

• Tackle it head on and learn the art of politics - Architecture is about thinking holistically, it’s about creating frameworks that aren’t dependent on individuals. Therefore, getting involved in politics and focusing on how you can appease certain individuals is often the last thing many want to do. However, if you can master this and are happy to take a few knockbacks you could be surprised with how you could turn things around.

• Ride it out - Sit back and wait for the next set of waves to come in. This tactic is surprisingly common, this tends to end up (in the interim) with architecture becoming more of a delivery function rather than being brought into the decision-making process. It is not an admission of defeat its understanding what battles you are able to win.

• Look to pastures new - As many do, when they see the writing on the wall, they look elsewhere and take on a new challenge where they can see strategic buy in and potential for growth. The general thought here is, why would I waste 3 years of my life fighting a losing battle, when I can make real change somewhere else.

I’d be intrigued to find out what approach you have or would have taken when confronted with this situation?