Software Architects, just like any other professional job/responsibilities, involve in longer and deeper discussions with their project stakeholders, prospective clients, team members, and strangers at workshops. Needless to mention, a software architect needs to be a great listener.
“Listen with Intent” is one of the skills we keep hearing when it comes to being a good listener. This post is intended what does “intent” mean from the software architect’s perspective.
Firstly, the meaning of “intent” is showing “eager attention” to “do or resolve someting”
From a software architect perspective, “Listen with intent” could be (based on my research is):
In the below approach, I assume, both the speakers are professionals meaning respecting each other, without any egotism, no bullying or BS talking by the speaker and you; with you as an Architect listening to the speaker.
Approach Step 1: Try to understand other speaker points in “3 English words categories”
- Mentioned – means facts, keywords, business processes, and rules, forms, regulations, policies
- Described – means “still facts” on “above mentioned” but the detailed explanation on those
- Discussed – means “not facts” but their “desires / issues / point of views / future needs”
Approach Step 2: Diagrammatic representation of “other speaker(s)” information
- Take a paper and draw what other speaker is mentioning in a pictorial way
- As an architect, try to put every above “mentioned / fact” into a “rectangle box” on the paper
- Add balloons or some circles for the above “described facts”
- Draw second rectangle box outside of the above first “rectangle box” and listen down in bullet points “what is discussed”
- With “star marks”, highlight the areas in the above two rectangles where you have questions
Approach Step 3: Respond back in the “below categories ” with “supportive or alternative” recommendations
- Issues -> your affirmation on the issue mentioned/discussed with any remediations in the past
- Goals -> your past experiences or industry approaches or standards
- Aspirations -> your “Point of Views” that can cover “What can come first in the aspirations list”, “What combinations does not work that can include regulatory challenges”, “What technologies are most used in meeting those aspirations”, “What Agile practices and software development design patterns exists to meet those aspirations”