Empowering Teams to Make Architectural Decisions • Andrew Harmel-Law • YOW! 2025

2026-06-23 · Source: GOTO Conferences · Field: Technology & Digital — Software Development & Engineering, Project & Product Management, Corporate Strategy & Leadership · Depth: Intermediate, extended

Summary

Andrew Harmel-Law's YOW! 2025 presentation, based on his O'Reilly book, addresses the inefficiencies of traditional centralized software architecture roles, such as the "Ivory Tower" and "Hands-On" architect, which create bottlenecks in rapidly evolving distributed systems. He proposes a decentralized approach to architectural decision-making designed to empower teams. This method integrates the "Advice Process," allowing anyone to make decisions after consulting affected parties and experts, with "Lightweight Architectural Decision Records (ADRs)" for transparent documentation and structured thinking. An optional "Architecture Advice Forum" is introduced as a non-blocking, open meeting for discussion and knowledge sharing, fostering trust and learning across the organization, in contrast to adversarial Architecture Review Boards. The core idea is to shift accountability to decision-makers and ensure critical conversations happen openly.

Key takeaway

For Directors of AI/ML or Software Engineering Managers aiming to accelerate delivery and foster team autonomy, adopt a decentralized architectural decision-making model. Implement the "Advice Process" and "Lightweight ADRs" to empower teams to own decisions and their accountability. Consider an "Architecture Advice Forum" to cultivate open dialogue and knowledge sharing, reducing bottlenecks and building trust across your organization.

Key insights

Decentralized architectural decision-making, using advice and documentation, empowers teams and fosters trust.

Principles

• Anyone can make any decision, with accountability.
• Seek advice from affected parties and experts.
• Advice is not permission or consensus.

Method

Implement the Advice Process for decision-making, document choices with Lightweight ADRs, and optionally use an Architecture Advice Forum for open discussion and learning.

In practice

• Use ADRs to frame decisions and record context.
• Establish an open, non-blocking advice forum.
• Actively encourage team members to make decisions.

Topics

• Software Architecture
• Decentralized Decision-Making
• Architectural Decision Records
• Advice Process
• Team Autonomy
• Organizational Trust

Best for: Software Engineer, Director of AI/ML, Consultant

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by GOTO Conferences.