About Author: Chris

Description
Chris Lockhart has more than nine years of experience in architecting, implementing, and testing technical solutions for large multi-line corporations representing several different industries. Chris has provided technical advice and thorough implementation strategies for highly complex integrated systems comprising security, middle-tier Web application components, messaging, collaborative middleware, and back-end data sources. He has focused on providing solutions that take advantage of portal technologies and service-oriented architectures (SOAs) to solve real-world problems for clients.

Posts by Chris

  • The social experience, whether it is Facebook or Twitter or Foursquare or Flickr or the latest release of <insert meaningless gibberish company name here>, it is all about connecting with one another in meaningful ways. A mega, super, hyperactive version of painting details of the mastodon hunt on the walls of a fire lit cave. How do we, as IT practitioners, connect with our peers throughout the enterprise and communicate knowledge that has intrinsic (or divine) value?

    How We Give Fire

    The social experience, whether it is Facebook or Twitter or Foursquare or Flickr or the latest release of , it is all about connecting with one another in meaningful ways. A mega, super, hyperactive version of painting details of the mastodon hunt on the walls of a fire lit cave. How do we, as IT practitioners, connect with our peers throughout the enterprise and communicate knowledge that has intrinsic (or divine) value?

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  • The people who like to create solutions are typically not the best equipped to fully understand the context of the problem. They are structured by nature to take action, to find a way around the obstacle. Their gaze is fixed on the end result, the grand design of what will be in the future state. With this horizon-centric, forward looking perspective, the original purpose for the effort is usually sidelined.

    A Goat, A Rope and a Gonkulator

    The people who like to create solutions are typically not the best equipped to fully understand the context of the problem. They are structured by nature to take action, to find a way around the obstacle. Their gaze is fixed on the end result, the grand design of what will be in the future state. With this horizon-centric, forward looking perspective, the original purpose for the effort is usually sidelined.

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  • Logic and the ability to think analytically are central to work in technology. That is the minimum requirement, the common denominator. But there are aspects of technology that require right brain thinking in order to be performed well. Intuition, free association, expression and risk taking are traits that are required for doing IT architecture well.

    Is Enterprise Architecture Left or Right Brained?

    Logic and the ability to think analytically are central to work in technology. That is the minimum requirement, the common denominator. But there are aspects of technology that require right brain thinking in order to be performed well. Intuition, free association, expression and risk taking are traits that are required for doing IT architecture well.

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  • The vision is important. The purpose of the organization and its mission are critical to get right. Without it, how do you know what your objectives are? How do you know what you're doing? How do you measure your activities? How do you know you're being successful? How do you know you won't be reorg'd into the unemployment line?

    Who Needs a Vision?

    The vision is important. The purpose of the organization and its mission are critical to get right. Without it, how do you know what your objectives are? How do you know what you're doing? How do you measure your activities? How do you know you're being successful? How do you know you won't be reorg'd into the unemployment line?

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  • Architects often struggle to articulate what they do, what the value is that they provide. Consulting firms make millions helping folks with strategies to describe, highlight and demonstrate that value. How can it be that years and years into the maturation of Enterprise Architecture we still have problems telling the business why they need us?

    Is Enterprise Architecture even worthwhile?

    Architects often struggle to articulate what they do, what the value is that they provide. Consulting firms make millions helping folks with strategies to describe, highlight and demonstrate that value. How can it be that years and years into the maturation of Enterprise Architecture we still have problems telling the business why they need us?

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