Being "just" a programmer was okay. I'm loving life as a software/information architect and "general problem solver" though, it's fantastic. I get to play with lots of interesting algorithms, data analysis/machine learning techniques, data structures and storage tools; I write the most interesting part of applications, and I get to hand off most of the boring testing/CRUD/user interface/etc stuff.
Another benefit is that at this level management is more concerned with the quality of my work than the volume, or whether I get in at 10:00 or take a two hour lunch break from time to time. I like to say "you're not paying me for the code I write, you're paying me for the code other people don't write because I'm here".
Another benefit is that at this level management is more concerned with the quality of my work than the volume, or whether I get in at 10:00 or take a two hour lunch break from time to time. I like to say "you're not paying me for the code I write, you're paying me for the code other people don't write because I'm here".