I always fancied the world of architecture. No, not the software architecture, the real one. While I admire the work of architects, my training as a civil engineer prompts me to look critically into the possibilities and feasibilities of architectural creations.

At the end of my engineering course, I took up an assignment to architect a house, under the guidance of a professor. I derived many valuable lessons from that experience, and one of those lessons is walking through the plans. My guide taught me to mentally walk-through the house after the plan is drafted. I was asked to take a good look at the plan, close my eyes, and enter into the house - constructed in my mind. I should walk through every door, into every room, open every window, lie on every bed, sit on the sofa and feel the finished house. Get the final picture from the plan. Find out what is good and what isn’t.

Strangely, I have not done much in civil engineering after that. But that lesson still helps in my career in information technology. It helps to visualize the final software system right from the architectural details and drawings. Mentally walking through every layer, every module and every screen. Trying to find out what works and what may not.