Introduction
A developer's career rarely follows a single, linear path. As skills and interests evolve, so too do job titles and aspirations. How can we support this variety of career goals while still aligning with the needs of the business?
One approach is to introduce Career Pathways and Archetypes.
Career Pathways
Practice leads and senior practitioners collaboratively define Career Pathways. They include core capabilities - common to all developers - and optional specialisms that reflect individual focus areas. Developer Archetypes help describe these specialisms. Examples include: Backend Developer, Frontend Developer, Mobile Developer, DevOps Engineer, Tech Lead, Infrastructure Developer, Data Engineer, Platform Engineer, API Developer, Data Platform Specialist, Application Architect, Systems Architect, Security Architect, AppSec Developer, Account Technical Principal, and Executive Technical Principal - to name just a few.
These archetypes are built on a shared foundation of capabilities and follow a simple Dreyfus-based maturity model, independent of promotion conversations. One person may span multiple archetypes, reflecting the diversity of modern software roles.
We'll define an approval structure for Archetypes as we refine this model. However, the key idea remains: a flexible, transparent framework that supports individual growth and evolving business needs.
Archetypes
"Archetypes" are a shorthand for describing key competencies that support delivering our services.
They go beyond job titles - offering more depth than a role description, while remaining concise and practical. Rather than listing every possible skill, archetypes focus on the most critical capabilities for that particular path.
Each archetype includes expected outcomes - a way to clarify what success typically looks like in that role. They are archetypal examples: not an exhaustive model of every edge case, but a clear picture of the skills needed to deliver the expected results.
People can shape their careers by combining core and optional components aligned with one or more archetypes. This approach helps avoid name-centric staffing, supports fairer recruitment, and empowers individuals to take ownership of their growth.
Importantly, a person is not an archetype - they may align with several at once. Archetypes can also help design well-rounded teams for pitches, bids, and project planning, ensuring the right mix of skills is in place.
Who are we?
This initiative is driven by the Zühlke Software Excellence practice.
The Software Engineering Corner
The Software Engineering Corner is a technical blog curated by engineers at Zühlke. The blog features articles on topics such as refactoring legacy systems, implementing micro frontends, enhancing application observability, and adopting green coding practices. Each post reflects real-world experiences and lessons learned from client engagements, providing valuable knowledge for software professionals.
License
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
