Service Overview
Technical direction is the practice of shaping how a problem is approached before any system is designed or built. It focuses on framing the problem correctly, identifying meaningful constraints, and determining what kind of technical solution—if any—is appropriate.
This work operates upstream of systems architecture and software development. Rather than starting with implementation, I evaluate goals, risks, scale, and long-term implications to establish a clear and realistic technical path forward.
Problem Framing and Judgment
Many technical failures begin with poorly framed problems. A central part of technical direction is deciding what problem is actually being solved, and which problems should be explicitly left unsolved. This judgment often reduces scope and complexity before any code is written.
Choosing the Right Level of Software
Not every challenge requires a large system or custom platform. Technical direction includes determining the appropriate level of software intervention—from simple scripts or tools to more structured systems—and avoiding overbuilding.
Sequencing and Strategy
When software is required, I focus on sequencing: what should be built first, what can wait, and what may never be needed. This approach reduces risk and allows systems to grow deliberately rather than reactively.
From Direction to Architecture
Technical direction establishes the conditions under which systems architecture and implementation can succeed. By resolving ambiguity early, it enables architectural decisions to be made with confidence and coherence rather than guesswork.
