Is a term like 'architect' pompous? What short, existing word would you use to describe who decides how something is going to be built? Is abbreviating "remote

Is a term like 'architect' pompous? What short, existing word would you use to describe who decides how something is going to be built? Is abbreviating "remote procedure call" to RPC pompous? I think the words 'graph' and 'topology' are about equally as likely to make normal peoples eyes glaze over.