Talk Like An Architect: How to Listen and Respond Intentionally

Communication without reciprocity is just a monologue. While not all contexts allow for extensive interactions between speaker and audience, those that do are where architects thrive. It’s where they get the opportunity to gather feedback, collect additional information regarding stakeholder’s needs and points of view and shape a shared understanding of what “good” looks like.

Active listening and asking the right questions are key activities that elevate architects from technical specialists to trusted advisors. It brings all the communication skills (verbal, visual and non-verbal) together in a two-way conversation leading to tangible decisions, outcomes and impact.

In part two of this Talk Like An Architect mini blog series, we applied visual and nonverbal communication best practices to the building blocks we introduced in part one. We explored how visual and nonverbal communication strengthens an architect’s message by leveraging diagrams and visuals to support storytelling, considering context and culture, and being intentional about what we show and how we show up.

Architects aren’t encyclopedias, they’re detectives

One of the most common misconceptions about architects is that we should know everything and have all the answers. In reality, being an architect is not about having the right answers, it’s about asking the right questions.

To be the bridge between business and technology stakeholders, we need to understand what we know and what we don’t.

We’ll never know the business needs and nuances as well as our business colleagues. We’ll never go as deep into technical details as our technology experts. Our job isn’t to out-expert them. It’s to respect their expertise and listen to understand, not just to reply.

This doesn’t mean that we don’t feel the pressure to reply on the spot to put a stakeholder’s mind at ease or instill confidence. However, responding too quickly risks misunderstanding the actual needs or misrepresenting the solution. Both lead to misaligned outcomes and reduced trust that can take time to rebuild.

There is a reason “It depends” is an architect’s favorite catchphrase and it’s not because it’s what our stakeholders love to hear.

Why ask questions?

Architects ask questions with very different end goals in mind:

1. Gather the context: Questions like who, what, when, where, and why help an architect understand the context they are operating in. An architect’s objectives and perspective shift depending on the context. This is why we should strive to understand elements like the organization or department they are working with, the specific goals or outcomes they are brought in to deliver, the phase of a program or implementation track they will drive or support.
2. Understand the AS IS situation: Once we understand the context, we want to get a clear understanding of the current (AS IS) situation of a process. A critical eye is key in this exercise: don’t take a process at face value. The key question you should ask yourself is “why” and keep asking it  to get to the actual answer. The Five Whys Technique, originated at Toyota, says you should ask “why” five times in order to get to the actual root cause. However, it may take more. Many processes exist simply because they have always been done that way. Dig deeper and you may find the why is a legacy system implemented a decade ago.
3. Establish the TO BE target: When implementing solutions like Salesforce, which include extensive out-of-the-box features, we will ask questions to gauge flexibility. Assess where the process can be adjusted to adopt prebuilt solutions. Doing so lowers implementation and maintenance costs, reducing total cost of ownership and increasing return on investment. If organizational or regional regulations prevent simplification, the system must adapt to support the required complexity. 

Architects must conduct an internal audit by asking themselves questions, in addition to the questions they pose to stakeholders. This internal questioning is a crucial and often overlooked final step.

• Which assumptions am I making? Making assumptions is an important skill when reviewing context parameters and solution options, but you need to ensure you are aware of the assumptions you are making. Every assumption is a hidden question. It signals missing clarity and the need to go back to the stakeholder to validate.
• Do I understand the context, needs and challenges? Sometimes things make sense in isolation, but fall apart when viewed holistically. Step back and get a helicopter view of the problem or process. Build the reflex to check your understanding on micro and macro levels. Keep yourself honest on how well you truly understand your stakeholders’  context, needs, and challenges.

How to answer questions?

Aside from asking questions, architects will also need to answer questions.

A good reflex to hone is to listen beyond the question to truly grasp why it is being asked. Questions can be considered part of the feedback component in the communication building blocks covered in part one of this mini-series.

Here are some tips for your responses:

• Consider the “why”: Why is the question being asked? Is the stakeholder looking for clarification or a more in-depth answer? Or is the question a hidden objection or an unvoiced concern?
• Reflect on the “what”: Do you really understand what is being asked? Encoding-decoding complexities may lead to messages getting lost in translation, especially across languages. Ask for the question to be rephrased if needed rather than wasting time answering something that was not asked.
• Keep it short: Simple questions don’t always have simple answers, but train yourself to keep answers concise and to the point rather than diving into a rabbit hole of detail. Concise answers give your audience room to correct you if you have misunderstood or to redirect the conversation if needed. 
• Be flexible and constructive: If the question was indeed a hidden objection or concern, use it to increase your understanding of the situation. Perhaps there was a requirement you misunderstood, an assumption you forgot to clarify or a context parameter you weren’t aware of. Use the new information to reevaluate the process and your solution’s suitability, and be thankful you received input now rather than later.

Practicing how you talk like an architect 

Becoming an architect requires shifting your mindset from proving value to discovering it. Just like the verbal, visual and nonverbal skills we’ve covered, active listening and strategic questioning are muscles that need regular exercise.

As you refine your approach, remember these three key takeaways:

• Know which questions to ask and when to ask them: Whether you’re trying to clarify the context, discern the AS IS situation or shape the TO BE, keep in mind what you’re trying to uncover and which questions you will need to get there.
• Keep asking yourself questions: Don’t let assumptions go unvalidated and keep an eye on the bigger picture.
• Respond with intent: Learn to read your audience and tailor your response accordingly to ensure you’re truly providing the information or conversation they were looking for.

With a thorough understanding of communication building blocks, along with verbal, visual and nonverbal best practices, you’re in a great place. Put these into practice during your next presentation or meeting. If you’re looking for a lower-stakes environment to dry-run your communication skills, check out Trailblazer Community Group meetings.