Work's been kicking my but for the last couple months. We're in the phase of the year when funding processes kick-off for the year. The enterprise architecture team (the team I'm on) is responsible for reviewing the business' "vision and scope" documents to make sure they're aligned with our future state architectures and our architecture principles. We also get to make all kinds of great prescriptive recommendations and guidance. It's great but they're a lot of work. In order to stay caught up I've had to work four out the five weekends at least one day. And both days this weekend.
We're nearing the end of the tunnel though, and I think this will be the last hell week.
The team is really pulling together and we're all learning very quickly and producing a lot of awesome architecture. Really the architecture isn't the difficult part. The most challenging aspects are all of the negotiation and leadership skills that are required. So I've been learning a ton in that area. What I've learned in the past is value but I find I'm having to take to an entirely new level here.
Challenging, stressful, fun, frustrating and stressful...and frustrating. But our Chief Architect is backing us all they way and encourages us to be persistent and not back down.
I just had my mid-year review and everything went great. I wasn't sure what to expect (I never am) so I was relieved that it went so well.
...looking forward to a chance to catch my breath and maybe take a couple weeks off to do something with the wife and kids...