Coding isn't the be-all and end-all of a successful developer's skills. Many skills that are employed during development will also be exercised when engaged in other tasks (eg, analysing, designing, breathing etc.).

I don't mean to imply that architects shouldn't code. Far from it - they should as it's a very effective way of defining and maintaining an architecture (and fun too). I just wish people wouldn't get so hung up on thinking that coding is the only way to get satisfaction from a project. Someone who worries whether they'll have to "give up coding" probably hasn't enjoyed anything other than development and so is probably not ready to be considering anything else yet.

At the very least I would expect the amount and nature of development to change otherwise they're just evolving into a very expensive development resource!

I think it is all about "can't" vs "shouldn't". People think that architects shouldn't code. The reality is that they usually can't because of time pressure and because they can't be experts in every technology. Certainly in the large IT company I work for, no one has ever said I shouldn't code, but the reality is that I really don't have time...

That said, I am grappling right now with how I keep my technical skills without coding, but I think the answer is the difference between understanding a technology (i.e. knowing what it can and can't do, knowing when to use it) and being able to actually use it. Sometimes knowing how to do it is actually a problem- when you are a hammer specialist, everything looks like a nail...

I think as an architect it is ok to just talk the talk, as long as you are humble enough to defer to people who really understand stuff when you need the detail.

Tom

I have worked on many IT services firms and it's always architect - please don't code, and soon they will be project managers. Guess it is only the product firms where such choices exist as you can climb the ladder being techy. Otherwise, it defies all explanation why an average salesman earns double than a star software developer.

A cold right hand is one sign; mine goes cold when I use a mouse for too long.

I think the #1 downside to being a non-coding architect is you will very quickly lose the respect of the developers. I've touched on that topic briefly in a blog article I wrote on becoming an architect. Also when push comes to shove it helps to be able to dive in, fix bugs and really get your hands dirty. I think the architect role can be so hard sometimes, that I think about "dropping back" to just being a principal software engineer. Architects often have too many expectations - part architect, part developer, part project manager, part strategist etc.

I just happened to come across this post. And even though this post is a view years old I am going to comment on it because it is an omnipresent subject. I believe we shouldn't put too much focus on it. It really depends on a number of factors, not just whether or not we should or we should not (code). Personally I like coding a lot but haven't really gotten to do so in my day-time job as an Architect for a while. The reason is simple: the project is so large that my primary role is "communicator" (guiding the architects, guiding the designers, guiding the developers, guiding the client, guiding the project manager, doing estimates, and many other things). Sometimes coding can be an inhibitor as - in your specific role - more important things will not get done because you are all of the sudden operationally tied to another job (coding), deadlines, defect fixing and many other things. All I wanted to say is: it depends (on the situation you are in). Not to be able to code is not by itself a bad thing (yet). And you do not lose the respect of the developers. The bad part is that if you do not code for too long a time you are going to be too removed from reality. And this has an effect on your ability to produce architectures, designs, solutions, estimates, etc, i.e. on your abilities as an architect. So every once in a while I take on a small project where I am actually able to write code, just so I do not lose touch with my craft.