Tech Strategy & Architecture for Non-Technical Leaders, Make critical tech decisions, lead engineering teams, and present to boards as a non-technical founder or digital leader.
Course Description
You do not need to learn how to code to lead technology. But you cannot afford to nod along in meetings you do not understand.
As a non-technical founder, executive, or digital leader, you are expected to make high-stakes technology decisions every week: Should we build or buy? Is our architecture scalable? Do we need a full-time CTO? Why is our vendor quote three times higher than expected?
The common trap is relying entirely on developer jargon, agency sales pitches, or conflicting advice from technical teams. Getting these decisions wrong burns months of runway, builds crippling technical debt, and leads to painful board and investor reviews.
This course gives you the strategic frameworks, vocabulary, and decision models you need to lead technology conversations with clarity, authority, and confidence.
Meet Your Instructor
Taught by Andrew Mugoya, Founder and Principal at Strawpath:
- 25+ years in technology strategy, software architecture, and investment banking across London and global hubs.
- Former senior technologist and advisor at Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Barclays, and Smart Pension, advising enterprises including Charity Bank, PepsiCo, and the UK Government.
- Architected and scaled fintech platforms transacting over £5B+, and advised startups that have collectively raised £300M+.
- Mastercard Lighthouse Expert Advisor, Oxford MSc in Computer Science, and angel investor (WealthOS, acquired by JPMorgan Chase).
What You Will Learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Reframe technical choices around business outcomes: Confidently decide between Build, Buy, Outsource, or AI using a structured decision matrix.
- Read architecture diagrams like a leader: Understand cloud versus on-premises, monoliths versus microservices, and how data actually flows between systems.
- Spot the 8 warning signs of technical debt: Recognise architectural red flags before they derail your product or alarm investors.
- Hire and lead technical teams without writing code: Know the exact interview questions that reveal senior technical competence, and structure teams for delivery and retention.
- De-risk vendor selection and cut through sales pitches: Calculate realistic Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and evaluate third-party integrations with clear criteria.
- Present technology to boards, investors, and clients: Tell a credible, plain-English technology narrative that secures buy-in and builds trust.
- Scale without breaking your business: Audit platform health and decide objectively whether to refactor, patch, or rebuild.
Who This Course Is For
- Non-technical founders, CEOs, and managing directors leading tech-enabled businesses.
- Product managers, commercial directors, and heads of department who work alongside software engineering teams.
- Investors, board members, and non-executive directors who need to evaluate tech roadmaps and assess architecture risk during due diligence.
- Consultants and digital transformation leads advising organisations on technology adoption.
The Toolkit (Included Downloads)
- The Build vs Buy vs Outsource vs AI Decision Framework
- Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Vendor Comparison Calculator
- Technical Hire & CTO Interview Guide (Non-Technical Leader Edition)
- The Plain-English Technology Narrative Template for Boards & Investors
- Platform Health & Architecture Risk Audit Scorecard
