This blog series is a long-overdue write-up of my presentation “Essential architectural work”. Of course, this is the 2026 version of the contents, i.e., it will also discuss the impact of AI on several aspects of architectural work. However, it is interesting to see that quite a bit of the stuff I discussed 7 years ago and learned over many years did not change. It is as valid now as it was back then.…

This post is about two observations I repeatedly make when looking around in our community. They are loosely connected by the topic of AI, which makes both observations more visible. The observations are about how we make our lives – IMO unnecessarily – harder.

It started many years ago with a dream – a dream about a universal automaton. Many people were involved in its invention: Ada Lovelace, Charles Babbage, Alan Turing, Conrad Zuse, and many more. John von…

AI is eating IT. At least this is how it looks at the moment. AI everywhere, in all stages of software development as well as part of the solutions, including SaaS and COTS. The promise and widespread AI application pattern:

How often have you heard a phrase like “If you do not become highly proficient in AI/LLMs/Agentic AI now, you will be left behind!” in recent months? Probably more often than you were able (or willing) to count. And it does not stop there. If we do not immediately learn the stuff as advised by the person uttering such phrases, we will lose our jobs and never get a job again. Our existences will be destroyed. And this will be solely our fault because we did not listen and…