Keynote Driven Architecture

I was speaking with a colleague the other day about some things we've seen in the industry lately, and we settled on the phrase Keynote Driven Architecture to describe the phenomenon. Doing a search, I don't see any previous definition of that phrase, so I'm going to claim it as a new discovery, which means I get to define it and explore it.

What is it?

If you've ever been to a technology conference of any sort of size, you've likely attended a keynote or two. Often the keynote is delivered by a really good orator, and has a really inspiring message. I will fully admit that I have enjoyed most keynotes that I've attended.

One other defining feature of most keynotes is that they lack substance. They can be very good at setting the stage for the rest of the conference, providing a theme. The rest of the conference is necessary to provide the details. It's up to each individual to determine if the conference has done the job of defending/supporting the keynote's key messages.

The larger the conference, the more likely the keynote will be buzzword based. The really large/important conferences are opportunities for the hosting entity to attempt to launch their own new buzzwords into the world. Think of phrases like "Disruption" and "Digital" - or even "Digital Disruption" They were launched to their height of buzz-wordiness at keynotes over the last few years.

It's important to realize that the keynote driven buzz-words have a life cycle. In 5-10 years, nobody will be using the phrase "Digital Transformation" - it will have been replaced by a new and shiny phrase (My current bet is that "Shift [Left|Right|Up|Down|Sideways|Forward]" is the new phrase we're all tired of in the next few years)

Keynote Driven Architecture describes the tendency to chase the latest cool buzzwords and technologies, and integrate them blindly into your landscape.

Hopefully I've made it sound scary to this point, but one of the things that I think I do well is find the kernel of good that can be extracted from bad things.

Why should you care?

Vendors target executives with buzzwords. The more executives hear about the latest shiny thing, the more likely they are to ask you "Hey, what's our position on electron-splitting pig troughs" "Why don't we have those fancy new mosquito powered shipping containers?"

It's easy to roll your eyes in private and scoff, but it is their job to ask those questions, and it is our jobs to properly answer them.

What are the positive aspects of it?

Many executive leaders are paying more attention to technology innovations. This has led to some really positive change in attitude toward technology and the role that IT can play in leveraging it.

What are the negative aspects of it?

There are two really troubling aspects of Keynote Driven Architecture. The obvious one is that you have to rein in expectations somewhat - vendors promise the world, and can never deliver all of what they promise.

The trickier aspect is that this is an easily squandered opportunity - if you're not partnering with the executives who see themselves as innovators/disrupters, they will quickly discard you and turn on you. It's important that you partner with them in a way that makes them feel heard, but also provides proper guidance and guardrails. You can't just say "No, we're not going to invest in self-juicing grapes." you have to present them with the correct information that helps them come to the conclusion that self-juicing grapes aren't a great idea on their own.

How can it be applied successfully?

I don't have a great playbook for how to do it step by step. What I do have are a few tips...

• Show enthusiasm when keynote driven architectural patterns emerge
• Do the research to be ahead of the game if at all possible
  • When an executive comes to you asking about automatic de-tangling phone cords, if you've already researched them, the the proper response is "We looked at them a few months/years back, and they weren't a good fit then, but it's probably worth looking at again" rather than "We looked at them, they're a bad idea."
• Don't automatically dismiss things as if they're just a fad. Just because something is new and shiny today doesn't mean there is no substance, or that it won't have staying power.
• Continue to focus on business outcomes. Make sure that whatever solutions you are implementing are to meet an actual business need, and that they're not just so someone can brag to their buddy on the golf course...