> I do not trust a design written by someone who couldn’t implement the system themselves. BINGO! I had been a developer for 20 years before becoming an archi

> I do not trust a design written by someone who couldn’t implement the system themselves. BINGO! I had been a developer for 20 years before becoming an architect - which was 20 years ago. You have to continue coding. It's an imperative. That's how you stay relevant and continue to provide good solutions and how to best apply new technologies. There's also the fact that developers respect those who can code and you can't call yourself a "tech leader" if your team doesn't respect you.