I got my CMU Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Software Architecture Professional Programme (SAPP) certificate today.

It was a two-part course, consisting of “Software Architecture: Principles and Practices”, “Documenting Software Architectures”, “Software Architecture Design and Analysis” and “Software Product Lines”.

During the course I also learnt how to stay frosty.

You see, the hotel/spa where we were in Finland for the first part of the course, had a cryotherapy room.

This means a small, liquid nitrogen cooled room with a temperature of -110 C (-166 degrees Fahrenheit).

One goes into the room wearing nothing but swimming trunks (and a skiing cap, mittens and woolen socks) and stays there for 3 minutes.

Yes, it is so cold that normal air becomes a wall of vapor. The room makes eerie noises due to some strange thermal effects. You have to blink your eyes a lot. And I remember that the tip of my nose went totally numb.

But… it was fun!

All in all, the course and associated activities was a very interesting learning experience, both mentally and physically. I can wholeheartedly recommend the course to anyone working in an architect role within the software industry.