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Recruiting a remarkable Software Architect is much more than CV reviewing or putting forward vague questions. Ideal evaluations are structured, balanced, and time-bound, and are designed to match actual architectural tasks. We provide guidelines on how to create efficient assessments for Software Architect candidates based on proven approaches to [technical assessments](https://www.digitalwaffle.co/blog/technical-assessments) and modern technical interviews. You will also understand how platforms such as [Robust Design](https://www.robustdesign.io/), a software architecture design tool, assist in evaluating candidates and mitigate project risks once a suitable architect is on board.

When hiring a Software Architect, it's important to devote less emphasis on the buzzword bingo, and lean more towards the candidate's breadth of systemic thinking, clarity of explaintation, ability to work and design within constraints, and designing software that survives evolution, setbacks, and adapts to change. This guide also helps to structure interviews, provides pointers on things to test, things to watch out for, and outlines how Robust Design can minimize architectural risk and improve the velocity of delivery.

It's time we move on from static diagrams as the primary reference for demonstrating system design concepts. We need tools that help us simulate, verify, and debug systems before we build them.

Building Robust Design taught me what message queues really are and why they're essential for modern systems. It's like driving your car and waving 'hi' to someone without stopping.