World Wide Institute Of Software Architects

http://www.wwisa.org/

As of 2012-01-11, the page at this link seems to have devolved from anything resembling its original name. --AlanMcBee

Seems regrettably to exclude practitioners of evolutionary methodologies like XP and EvoFusion. Surprising omission of a reference to the patterns community too. Speaking as someone who has identified himself as a software architect for several years, I'm afraid I don't have a lot of sympathy for what's presented on this WWISA site. The graphic design work is nice, but what's presented seems very much a WaterFall tradition. Or am I missing something? Who's behind this thing? --PeterMerel

I'm not so sure I follow you. What do you mean by an evolutionary methodology? Don't they list GradyBooch as one of their founders. I though he was very "Iterative and Incremental" in his OOA/OOD approach? - isn't that evolutionary?

I meant that the stated philosophy on the site seemed that way. But indeed Booch's recent line - the Objectory method - is iterative. WWISA note they're still developing themselves, so with such luminaries involved perhaps they'll change to become a little more inclusive. --PeterMerel.

I don't know whether this answers your question, but did you have a look at the Founding Fathers [1]? --FalkBruegmann

Grady Booch happens to have written the forward to the Go4 Design Patterns book.

MarcSewell? is the organizer behind the names. I don't know to what extent the Founding Fathers know yet what they are signing up for.

One manager I had gave us all copies of TheOneMinuteManager when it was in vogue. The message was clear; we all manage ourselves and our relationships with our peers regardless of our title. I think that the same thing could be said about architecture. If there is someone on your team that you would not trust to at least participate in "architectural" decisions, then one of you has to go. -- MichaelFeathers

From http://www.wwisa.org/wwisamain/role.htm, "Role of a Software Architect":

At WWISA, we refer to software construction not development. Buildings are not developed. To develop is to grow, evolve, and unfold. Architects oversee construction, they do not guide development. Theoretically, there is no end to development. And that is an object lesson we should have learned by now.

Perhaps this explains the lack of reference to the patterns community - it seems to be at odds with the ideas of generative patterns and piecemeal growth.

--DavidMcNicol

Actually, after reading one of their publications, they seem to be very complimentary of, and advocates for, the patterns movement. --KevinLewis

It must be deliberate. Two of the founding fathers are people who either 1) always mention the word pattern when people ask them what they're doing these days, or 2) use the word pattern in their book publications, and have even gone as far as campaigning them at PLoP. Perhaps to qualify for this group, you should have done things like play guitar with the Stones, golf with Clinton on weekends, etc. Best of luck to them!