Career Direction - Lead developer/Technical Architect

android-fan · 16 Oct 2016 at 11:19

Think quite a few members on here are in the "software" industry, so a good place to hopefully get some good advice.

Been a software developer / team leader for current company for 20 years (!). All together been in IT for 24 years, since graduating.

Although I'm a team leader, I still enjoy the technical side of my job more than the management side. Languages wise we use a not very common toolset, but I've managed to introduce angularjs, node etc. into the workplace and used on a couple of small commercial projects.

I'm being given the opportunity to move into a purely technical role, but I feel I'm missing something to allow me to become a lead developer / technical architect etc. Training is on offer.

So the question is, what sort of training, conference attendance, mentoring and coaching should I be looking for? By my peers I'm seen as very technically competent, but having seen what others can achieve I feel I'm missing something.

Thanks.

AHarvey · 16 Oct 2016 at 12:05

Honestly, without knowing you or your exact skill set and competence level people are just going to be guessing.

My advice would be to approach the others and ask them what skills they need, what they know, see where you feel your own skills are lacking after speaking to them and make a training plan for you.

This is what I've done with our technical director, asked him outright what skills I need to develop which, in order are: SQL, Powershell, General web dev then onto C#.

I've managed technical teams despite having very little technical knowledge, but a general understanding of the field. I had my team do 360 reviews on people around them, even below and above and we based training structures around them. People ended up expanding their skill sets and no one was irreplaceable as we always had backup when people wanted to progress or move to other teams.

android-fan · 16 Oct 2016 at 12:16

Thanks.

The language we use is a traditional procedure 4gl, but does now have OO extensions. I would consider myself an expert in this.

Done bits of c# and java but definitely not beyond beginner.

Done a reasonable amount of web development.

I am according to my peers very good with customers, and have presented to customers at director level. Have excellent relationships with senior management at all our customers. I'm also involved in presales work.

I'm told one of my main strengths is generating ideas.

What sort of technical role fits these strengths? R&D?

Thanks

MuvverRussia · 16 Oct 2016 at 12:36

Considered technical pre sales / solution architecture? Would be more customer facing as well as a chance to do tech stuff.

ov_sjo · 16 Oct 2016 at 12:38

The first question you have to ask yourself is: Can I restrict developer access to production systems?

If your answer is no, then you won't cut it as an architect

android-fan · 16 Oct 2016 at 13:20

A title of solutions architect has been mentioned by my manager. But what training and coaching should I be looking at to be able to move successfully into that role?

Thanks

AHarvey · 16 Oct 2016 at 13:33

thread right below this, the OP does it for a living, maybe post in there asking for advice?

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18753094

JonJ678 · 17 Oct 2016 at 22:44

It's not entirely clear from your post. Are you looking to be trained or to train other people? To watch people speak at conferences or to present?

Thinking about the technical leads I've worked for, I think it would be difficult to train them. They know the problem domain inside out and usually wrote quite a lot of the product. They train other people.

mid_gen · 18 Oct 2016 at 09:58

I did a variety of roles up to and including development manager (hands off, pure management), architect (pure high-level systems design, hands off), and lead developer (all code).

I did really enjoy the architecture role (it was at JPMC designing new PTS), but ultimately I enjoy writing code.

I'm back at intermediate grade programmer, all code all day, but I switched industries to game dev so it's going to take me a few years to work back up to a team lead role.

Development lead was my favourite position that I'm going to work back to. 80% programming, 20% management, was a decent enough balance for me.

android-fan · 18 Oct 2016 at 12:50

Thanks for the input all.

My title is dev team leader and is very similar to the last post, 20% management, 80% code/consultancy etc.

I though to break out of the "just a dev" box, and step up to a more architect type role, some sort of training like Togaf would work well. I may be doing some of those aspects already, but some formal training/certification should help ?