Architectural Katas were created by Ted Neward to solve a problem: architects rarely practice their craft. Most people design systems only a handful of times in their careers, so they never develop the judgment that comes from repetition.

The kata format creates those practice opportunities. Teams work on realistic architectural problems, make design decisions, and defend those decisions when challenged. The learning happens when you see other teams solve the same problem differently and understand the assumptions behind each approach.

We run these sessions at Epignosis because our engineers need that practice too. It’s one of the few ways to develop architectural judgment outside of production systems.

This workshop is for anyone who wants that practice. You might be a developer learning to think architecturally, a tech lead seeking feedback on your decisions, or an architect wanting more repetitions. The format works because it forces clear articulation and exposes you to alternatives.