Systems, Architecture and Systems Architecture

I recently came across a video from Michael Gibbs where he discusses why many cloud architectures fail. His observations were particularly insightful, and I wanted to share some key takeaways. According to him, cloud architecture failures often come down to two major issues:

Bias in Decision-Making

Many architects develop vendor bias rather than actual business needs. Others push specific paradigms like “serverless” or “microservices” as the only solution, even when they don’t align with the organization’s goals. A great architect stays neutral, focusing only on what drives business success.

Poor Architecture Practices

Cloud architecture isn’t just about technology—it’s about strategy. Some common pitfalls highlighted in the video include:

• Technology-first, business-second – Implementing cloud solutions without aligning them to business objectives often leads to wasted investments.
• Ignoring key stakeholders – Without executive buy-in and process alignment, even the best technology won’t deliver value.
• Lack of governance and change management – Cloud adoption impacts how teams work. Without proper planning, it creates more problems than solutions.
• Overreliance on building – Knowing how to build cloud infrastructure doesn’t mean you can design an effective architecture. Business acumen, leadership, and stakeholder management are just as critical.

The Key to Cloud Success?

Great cloud architects don’t just design technology; they align cloud strategies with business objectives, engage stakeholders early, and ensure cloud adoption enhances—not disrupts—operations.