Solution Architecture in 2017: interview with Eli Feldman, SRT EPAM
Recently, Ukraine was visited by Eli Feldman, CTO of the Eram company. At CTO, Advanced Technology, Eli is responsible for competence centers, architectural disciplines, development of innovations based on “garages” (note: “garage” or Garage is a high-tech laboratory for learning new technologies), as well as preparing conferences for developers, and many other interesting initiatives. During the visit of Mr. Feldman, we discussed interesting projects and educational programs for Solution architects.
On the eve of the New Year, it is customary to sum up. What interesting innovative projects in 2016 took place at EPAM in the context of various industries?
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As part of the innovation program in our “garages”, there are now quite a lot of initiatives in areas such as virtual and augmented reality, in particular around the new-generation user interfaces. We also work with real interfaces, such as interactive interfaces, chat bots, etc. One of our customers is a well-known oil and gas company, for which we have created many high-tech solutions, including the preparation of 3D-plans of mines for oil production. Such projects allow us one more step to improve the oil production process.
Now we have a fairly large number of innovative projects in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT). We are developing solutions that allow translating various business initiatives into a single ecosystem, the so-called Connected Business . As part of IoT projects, we work with clients from various industries: retail, hotel business, ticket distribution (Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc.)
For the past few months, we have focused on the automotive industry. We think over and make prototypes of completely new concepts for the transformation of an ordinary car into a smart mobile device of the future.
Of course, all projects without exception require the participation of Solution Architects (SA).
What are the main trends in Solution architects now in the world?
First of all, we are talking about new approaches to the development of software architectures. This is all connected with microservices, as well as other modular approaches to architecture. This is talking about the back-end. Regarding Front-end technologies, we are trying to use the principle of modularity when creating an application so that users can use only the most important aspects of the application for them.
There is a very big trend of serverless architectures, lambda architectures, which more and more fill the modern sphere of Solution architecture. Of course, this is just an aspect of “platforms as services” (Platform as a Service), which allow you to create applications from separate units, rather than build new platforms from scratch.
What EPAM may be interested in Solution architects?
At EPAM, we are working on a large number of large-scale, complex projects. Speaking of Central and Eastern Europe, there is a very small chance that an architect will be able to work in projects of this magnitude outside of EPAM.
In order for an architect to grow and move on to the next level, it is necessary to go through the stage of “right” projects. We are talking not only about state-of-the-art technologies and technical product development, but also about the “right” modern customers. We are talking about those customers who win in the market, think and understand how they need to attract customers in the future, want to be successful, while working with EPAM to achieve their goals.
Tell me, what is the ideal Solution architect in your understanding? Is there such a thing?
In my understanding, the ideal architect is one who understands that he is not perfect, who is constantly learning to achieve the next more advanced level. This person understands that the more he knows, the less he knows.
What are the educational projects in EPAM that can help Solution architects understand exactly what knowledge is relevant now?
On the one hand, we have a lot of them, on the other - we don’t have enough of them. To date, we have 4 main programs around Solution architecture: Architecture Excellence Initiative , Solution Architecture University , Solution Architecture School, and Solution Architecture Mentoring program.
Architecture Excellence Initiative exists since 2014. The purpose of this initiative is to provide architects with new knowledge every week.
Solution Architecture University focuses mainly on ensuring teamwork between Solution architects. The program allows architects to speak the same language. First of all, it is a set of common terms and concepts that must be in architecture so that it can be effective both in terms of what we are implementing and in terms of participation of several architects in the project. On the other hand, this is a team work that allows architects to find non-standard solutions for specific tasks. Solution Architecture University is designed for level 1 and 2 architects who want to create a single glossary of terms for themselves and learn to work in a team, as well as for those who see themselves as Solution Architects in the future.
A new program that we launched in 2016 is called Solution Architecture School . Its main goal is to find specialists within the company who can and want to become architects, and accelerate this process through education, teamwork, motivation and mentoring. Over the past 6 months, 4 Solution Architecture Schools have passed in Ukraine. We are also currently thinking about how to build similar programs for other architecture disciplines: System Architecture, Quality Architecture, Domain Specific Architecture.
Also in the last quarter of 2016, we restarted the Solution Architecture Mentoring . We consider this direction to be fundamentally important for the development of senior-level specialists and providing opportunities to get to the highest levels of Solution architecture — CTO levels.
Historically, the number of Solution architects in Ukraine is small. What are we doing in EPAM to correct the situation? We are engaged in the education of employees within EPAM, thereby proving that all goals are achievable.
What can you advise the guys - Solution architects for additional education. Perhaps some important conferences, books, video tutorials, blogs, podcasts?
All of the above. Self-education should be very versatile.
Speaking about conferences, it seems to me that the most useful conferences are practical conferences within specific areas of knowledge - JavaDay , Microsoft Devdays, which tell not about how “ships plow open spaces of space” in large companies, but about how to solve complex applications. technical issues. Local meetings are also very useful, facilitating the exchange of knowledge between colleagues in real mode in informal conditions.
Certainly useful are podcasts, webinars of analytical companies with which we have partnerships (Gartner and Forester), webinars from leading technology companies (Google, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix).
It is important to monitor everything new, but not to be a “sponge”, which simply incorporates everything into itself. Architects need to understand and filter out information. The most important thing is the desire to learn. If there is a desire - there is material.
What would you wish our architects in the New Year?
Not only architects, but everyone - health, happiness, joy, success, successful solution of interesting and complex tasks in the new year. Always be in search of yourself, discover new horizons, technologies, approaches; learn things that you still didn’t know, and be sure to use them in your projects.
On the eve of the New Year, it is customary to sum up. What interesting innovative projects in 2016 took place at EPAM in the context of various industries?
')
As part of the innovation program in our “garages”, there are now quite a lot of initiatives in areas such as virtual and augmented reality, in particular around the new-generation user interfaces. We also work with real interfaces, such as interactive interfaces, chat bots, etc. One of our customers is a well-known oil and gas company, for which we have created many high-tech solutions, including the preparation of 3D-plans of mines for oil production. Such projects allow us one more step to improve the oil production process.
Now we have a fairly large number of innovative projects in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT). We are developing solutions that allow translating various business initiatives into a single ecosystem, the so-called Connected Business . As part of IoT projects, we work with clients from various industries: retail, hotel business, ticket distribution (Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc.)
For the past few months, we have focused on the automotive industry. We think over and make prototypes of completely new concepts for the transformation of an ordinary car into a smart mobile device of the future.
Of course, all projects without exception require the participation of Solution Architects (SA).
What are the main trends in Solution architects now in the world?
First of all, we are talking about new approaches to the development of software architectures. This is all connected with microservices, as well as other modular approaches to architecture. This is talking about the back-end. Regarding Front-end technologies, we are trying to use the principle of modularity when creating an application so that users can use only the most important aspects of the application for them.
There is a very big trend of serverless architectures, lambda architectures, which more and more fill the modern sphere of Solution architecture. Of course, this is just an aspect of “platforms as services” (Platform as a Service), which allow you to create applications from separate units, rather than build new platforms from scratch.
What EPAM may be interested in Solution architects?
At EPAM, we are working on a large number of large-scale, complex projects. Speaking of Central and Eastern Europe, there is a very small chance that an architect will be able to work in projects of this magnitude outside of EPAM.
In order for an architect to grow and move on to the next level, it is necessary to go through the stage of “right” projects. We are talking not only about state-of-the-art technologies and technical product development, but also about the “right” modern customers. We are talking about those customers who win in the market, think and understand how they need to attract customers in the future, want to be successful, while working with EPAM to achieve their goals.
Tell me, what is the ideal Solution architect in your understanding? Is there such a thing?
In my understanding, the ideal architect is one who understands that he is not perfect, who is constantly learning to achieve the next more advanced level. This person understands that the more he knows, the less he knows.
What are the educational projects in EPAM that can help Solution architects understand exactly what knowledge is relevant now?
On the one hand, we have a lot of them, on the other - we don’t have enough of them. To date, we have 4 main programs around Solution architecture: Architecture Excellence Initiative , Solution Architecture University , Solution Architecture School, and Solution Architecture Mentoring program.
Architecture Excellence Initiative exists since 2014. The purpose of this initiative is to provide architects with new knowledge every week.
Solution Architecture University focuses mainly on ensuring teamwork between Solution architects. The program allows architects to speak the same language. First of all, it is a set of common terms and concepts that must be in architecture so that it can be effective both in terms of what we are implementing and in terms of participation of several architects in the project. On the other hand, this is a team work that allows architects to find non-standard solutions for specific tasks. Solution Architecture University is designed for level 1 and 2 architects who want to create a single glossary of terms for themselves and learn to work in a team, as well as for those who see themselves as Solution Architects in the future.
A new program that we launched in 2016 is called Solution Architecture School . Its main goal is to find specialists within the company who can and want to become architects, and accelerate this process through education, teamwork, motivation and mentoring. Over the past 6 months, 4 Solution Architecture Schools have passed in Ukraine. We are also currently thinking about how to build similar programs for other architecture disciplines: System Architecture, Quality Architecture, Domain Specific Architecture.
Also in the last quarter of 2016, we restarted the Solution Architecture Mentoring . We consider this direction to be fundamentally important for the development of senior-level specialists and providing opportunities to get to the highest levels of Solution architecture — CTO levels.
Historically, the number of Solution architects in Ukraine is small. What are we doing in EPAM to correct the situation? We are engaged in the education of employees within EPAM, thereby proving that all goals are achievable.
What can you advise the guys - Solution architects for additional education. Perhaps some important conferences, books, video tutorials, blogs, podcasts?
All of the above. Self-education should be very versatile.
Speaking about conferences, it seems to me that the most useful conferences are practical conferences within specific areas of knowledge - JavaDay , Microsoft Devdays, which tell not about how “ships plow open spaces of space” in large companies, but about how to solve complex applications. technical issues. Local meetings are also very useful, facilitating the exchange of knowledge between colleagues in real mode in informal conditions.
Certainly useful are podcasts, webinars of analytical companies with which we have partnerships (Gartner and Forester), webinars from leading technology companies (Google, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix).
It is important to monitor everything new, but not to be a “sponge”, which simply incorporates everything into itself. Architects need to understand and filter out information. The most important thing is the desire to learn. If there is a desire - there is material.
What would you wish our architects in the New Year?
Not only architects, but everyone - health, happiness, joy, success, successful solution of interesting and complex tasks in the new year. Always be in search of yourself, discover new horizons, technologies, approaches; learn things that you still didn’t know, and be sure to use them in your projects.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/318936/
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