Systems Architecting

The Architect

The word architect derives from the Greek, archi - "first, principal" and tekion -"builder".

In the words of Eberhardt Rechtin, "architects bring form to function", Systems Architecting: Creating and Building Complex Systems. The form may be a physical structure, a mechanical assembly, spacecraft, electronic controls, software, intelligent road network or any other assembly of components that are brought together to solve a problem or meet a need. 

It is not surprising that the first architects came into being to meet the most basic of human needs - shelter from the ravages of the physical environment. As our societies grew larger and more prosperous the demands on the architect's structures took on more dimensions.The civil architect was called upon to incorporate aspects of religious experience, aesthetics, homage to power, expressions of an age, and celebration to name a few.

This brings us to the present where the role of bringing "form to function" spans dozens of domains where systems are built to satisfy a need. The role of the architect has not gone away but is a key aspect to ensure a systems success. 

In my words, the architect guides the morph from the world of ideas to the physical world.