Leading tech companies such as Google are built on great software architecture without any designated architects in their ranks. But for most companies, IT is not seen as the principal innovation driver, and having an architect spending its days in the elevator trying to communicate ideas to make code fills their business job is more than welcome. But we need to clarify the architect role. This is the subject of this book.

It’s not a technical book. There are no diagrams or snippets of code. There exists many good books about architecture, but before this one, I’ve never read a single good-enough book about the role of a software architect. To be honest, I also thought most companies would be in better shape without architects at all. This book changed my opinion on some points.

The Software Architect Elevator is among my favorite readings. Really. I love every page of this book. It is filled with interesting stories, inspiring quotes, powerful analogies, interesting links to blog posts, and varied book references. This book is very different from the author’s previous book on patterns. Both are great, but for different reasons.

The book is remarkably written. Each chapter is short, beautifully illustrated, and so much fun to read. The content is opinionated but thoroughly researched. It’s the kind of books few persons could have written. You will discover a new face of a well-known role. You will learn about so many topics–how to make decisions, how to manage organizational systems, how to draw effective diagrams, how to communicate ideas, how to lead change, and so much more.

The book will benefit the most to the software architect working in a large organization. But I think developers, managers, and executives will learn a lot from this book. Yes, that would make a lot of people in the elevator. But the book contains many words of wisdom that are widely applicable, not just concerning architecture. It’s a unique book.