Is "Systems Designer" the job title that best describes what I do?

Question

After having worked as Java developer for almost 3 years in the same company that I currently work at, I moved to a new position associated with the development of the same application. I’m in this new position for more than 1 year now. My official job title is Systems Designer, but I’m not sure this is a title that expresses well what I do. So my question here is what would be the most appropriate job title for me? I see this question as important for my career development. After all, I should be able to explain in one word what I do. And it’s no longer “Java Developer”. Well, in more than one word, this is what I do:

The business analysts gather requirements / business problems to be solved with the clients and then discuss these requirements with me. Given the requirements, I design the high level solutions to be implemented in our system (e.g. a new screen on the client application, modifications to existing reports, extension to the XML export format of some objects, etc). I base my decision on the current capabilities of the system, the overall impact that the solutions would have on the system and the estimated effort to implement them (as I was a developer of this same application for almost 3 years before I moved to this position, I’m confident in my estimates). The solutions are discussed iteratively with the business analysts until we agree that they are good. The outcome of this analysis is what we call the “requirements design” document, which is written by me, shared with clients for approval and then also with the team that is going to implement the solutions and test them. Note that there are a few problems that I need to find a solution for that are non-functional. If the users are unhappy with the performance of a certain tool, I will investigate what can be done to speed it up. I will do some research – often based in the Java code itself - to identify possibilities of optimizations. But in this new position I no longer code, the main outcome of my work is really the “requirements design”.

Is “Systems Designer” really the most appropriate job title?

Answer 1

System Architect would be another term I'd throw at you to see if that suits you better. In a way you do design systems, though this may not be viewed so highly and thus why I chose a different term that is a bit higher up the food chain in a sense.

Answer 2

Sounds like an application architect or system architect role to me.

Answer 3

Isn't it funny how all companies use a standard job title with a standard description. I think we have the same titles here...in the end it doesn't matter, they could call you window washer and it still wont be right. Just do your job and get paid :)

You will never get the exact title you want, and you want to know why? The reason is, is the title reflects the salary. Some titles make a higher percentage salary then what a "Systems Designer" title makes. It's all HR buddy, welcome to the wonderful world of corporations.

To me it sounds like you are a software engineer / architect :), but that title leads to an increase of 10% of your salary, which your boss won't give you until 3 more years.

Answer 4

I hereby name you... "BOB SLYDELL"!

BOB SLYDELL So what you do is you take the specifications from the customers and you bring them down to the software engineers?

TOM That, that's right.

BOB PORTER Well, then I gotta ask, then why can't the customers just take the specifications directly to the software people, huh?

TOM Well, uh, uh, uh, because, uh, engineers are not good at dealing with customers.

BOB SLYDELL You physically take the specs from the customer?

TOM Well, no, my, my secretary does that, or, or the fax.

BOB SLYDELL Ah.

BOB PORTER Then you must physically bring them to the software people.

TOM Well...no. Yeah, I mean, sometimes.

BOB SLYDELL Well, what would you say… you do here?

TOM Well, look, I already told you. I deal with the goddamn customers so the engineers don't have to!! I have people skills!! I am good at dealing with people!!! Can't you understand that?!? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!!!!!!!

Seriously, it sounds like Senior Software Engineer or somesuch...

I'd say Systems Architect is a different job (you need to actually architect company-wide system infrastructure for that one - in our company the job is a very senior and highly technical Managing Director)