“Peer Interaction” refers to an essential skill that architects require. The word “peer” in the context of this capability, refers to any individual who has a contribution to make to the success of the project, regardless of the organization, role and responsibility. In a typical workday, the architect needs to interact with a number of peers. The nature of interaction depends upon the exact relationship between the architect and the other person; it is a function of the workplace dynamics, the dependence of one upon the other and the emotional intelligence of the parties concerned. A successful architect would need to build upon his interaction skills, as the role demands a high level of interaction with peers and other stakeholders.

Why does an architect need this skill?

The role of the architect demands a high level of interaction with a wide range of people. People differ in the manner in which they respond to their environment and circumstances, and the architect needs to understand this fact in order to maintain his relationships and get his work done.

In the current age, no single person can have all the abilities (to the desired level of perfection) to deliver a project single-handedly. The architect has the option of resorting to the internet for all her/his needs, but this can be more difficult than it looks due to too much information, lack of structure, redundance, and possibly inaccurate data.

The best source of information is the architect’s peers. Peers can be from:

• The project team
• Equivalent members of other teams performing the same role
• Experts within the organization
• Fora and WorkGroups

Productive peer interactions result involve social interactions, problem solving sessions (formal or informal), reviews, feedback, and mentoring. The overall approach is to solve problems, and arrive at suitable solutions.

However, peer interactions can be negative as well, when:

• Peers take positions
• Incompatible communication styles
• Emotional Intelligence is not applied
• Organizational politics is dominant in the workplace

. Given that the architect’s relationships and interactions with his peers directly affects the project, it is only natural that (s)he should hone her/his interaction skills.
For example, an architect might receive direct and blunt feedback from the development team about the number of issues faced during implementation of certain architectural design. The architect would then have to apply emotional intelligence, understand that the problem is not about the person, but more technical and impersonal in nature, and continue a problem-solving session with the peers.

Positive peer relationships must be developed at the workplace and encouraged by the organization. This is important because positive peer relationships :

• provide a built-in support network. Challenges are best met with support from peers.
• provide a sense of loyalty to the peers, and increase job satisfaction.
• provide motivation.

When the peer relationships are healthy, the quality of the interactions becomes good and productivity will go to a high. It is part of the organization’s responsibility to ensure healthy and positive relationships between the architects and their peers.

The architect is generally a key “glue” person between multiple disciplines, involved in the delivery of projects that bring in revenue. Therefore, it is only natural, given the above, that the architect be proficient in the art of interacting with peers. Given the uncertainty in software projects, there will be incomplete, unspecified or conflicting requirements. Such uncertainties and inconsistencies can lead to a loss of productivity.

Architects need to have a high Emotional IQ. Understanding the negativity from the peer is essential, as the architect will then be able to weed out the root cause and adapt in order to establish or maintain the relationship. This is a big challenge in itself, because architects are after all, human, and emotions are a part of one’s humanness. The architect needs to inculcate the values of Emotional IQ and a problem solving approach, to maintain a good working relationship with her/his peers. Conflict management is an important skill to develop.

Structured, open interactions can help improve the quality of Peer interaction. It does make sense to publish a set of rules stipulating what would constitute acceptable, positive behavior and what could be construed as negative and unproductive. Clear target setting and an agenda for discussions, ahead of any interaction, is useful. It is required to ensure that everyone is aligned on the ultimate decision.

Communication

Articles:

http://blog.bonus.ly/the-value-of-peer-relationships-at-work/

Blogs/Webcasts/News/Reference Resources:

Goleman, D., (1995) Emotional Intelligence, New York, NY, England: Bantam Books, Inc.
Fisher, R., Ury, W. and Patton, B. (1991). , “Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In”, Second Edition. New York: Penguin Books.

Shrikumar Sharma