Data Architect – Who is right for the job?

by Caryn Maresic, Senior Consultant

The Data Architect is the core of any BI team.  It is important to choose a person with the right skill set.  As I tried to put together a list of skills I looked to IT Toolbox and Database Answers for help, but my mind wandered a bit.  System Construction. Data Architect. Data Warehouse. Software Factory.  We like to portray what we do in terms of construction and/or manufacturing.  A recent client bemoaned her departments inability to move from “building custom cars” to “an assembly line”.  Comparing ourselves to these burly industries might make us feel strong, but it does it accurately represent what we aspire to be?

What is a Data Architect?  What should they know how to do?   I borrowed the following description from this article. Before you click, read on and see if you can guess what this is really describing.  I think it is a great description for a Data Architect:

A Data Architect is qualified by education, experience, and imagination to enhance the function and quality of systems. The purpose of this pursuit is to improve the quality of life, increase productivity, and protect the health, security, and welfare of the business.

The best Data Architects are capable of analyzing a client's needs, goals, safety and business requirements and integrating this information into a design that is both pleasing to the eye and functional. They will work with the client closely to develop preliminary design concepts that meet their aesthetic, functional, and economic needs while maintaining adherence to standards.

In essence, the best Data Architects are part detective, part artist, and part psychologist and they use these skill sets to create systems that fit a client's tastes and needs with their budget in mind.

Doesn’t that sound like a great job?  Sign me up!  What this is actually describing is an interior designer.  While I doubt that HGTV has any plans to showcase the next dashboard you build, we are indeed closer to Designing Women than Rosie the Riveter!  Stay tuned for future posts on the talents of a good Data Design Star.

photo by Annahape Gallery via Flickr (Creative Commons License)

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Caryn has over 20 years experience in providing high-quality data solutions to clients in the areas of Business Intelligence, Data Warehousing and System Integration.  Caryn has expertise in across industries with an emphasis in Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing, and Insurance.  Prior to joining to Baseline, she ran her own consulting company.

Comments

[Steve Putman]

I've maintained that the IT industry is where the auto industry was in the 1920s...lots of custom products, expensive mechanics servicing them, and many products broken down on the side of the road. We haven't yet seen our version of Henry Ford...

And, I like the "imagination" part of the definition...very important...