In this article, our team at Trustify Technology explains when to hire an enterprise solution architect, where they fit into the broader corporate structure, the roles and responsibilities of a solution architect, and specifically how they can ensure the success of your software development initiatives.
The Solution Architect Role at a Glance
Making changes to your software and IT infrastructure is never easy. Software development and its integration into existing business systems requires a deep understanding of technology and specific business objectives and constraints.
According to research, only 62% of all software projects achieve their original objectives, and only half stay on budget and exceed deadlines. As a solution, organizations need experts to communicate the product vision to technical experts.
The solution architect role description involves orchestrating numerous software development activities and integration with other 3rd party applications so that their technical implementation is aligned with the overall goals of the business.
Because the activities in which the solution architect participates are relatively complex it requires an overview of the entire software development initiatives interconnecting with business as a whole. As a specialist, the solution architect draws up diagrams and specifications, and explains how a software solution should be organized from a technical perspective based on requirements and constraints. They select the right technology stack and perform other tasks to manage the work process so that project stakeholders can achieve the expected results. .
In short, these employees must also understand how the company works, how to solve different problems and use technology in an agile way.
Enterprise Architect vs. Solution Architect vs. Technical Architect: Understanding the Key Differences
An enterprise architect
This expert evaluates the technology ecosystem as a whole and ensures that the resulting solution fits perfectly with the scenario. The general development line and priorities were also taken into account. A large part of the work of an enterprise architect consists of informing business leaders about the importance of technological advancement and communicating long-term management plans to the development team.
A solution architect
This expert considers the possibility of implementing the chosen software solution or a particular change in the technological ecosystem. At the same time, all the work must support the management and business goals. There are different types of experts, depending on the technical skills and area of expertise of the solution architect, such as experts dealing with networks and IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, data, or DevOps, etc.
A technical architect
This expert has nothing to do with the business side of the solution, such as calculating project budgets and participating in stakeholder meetings. Their work focuses on the best way to implement a given software solution from a technical point of view, that is, organizing the ideal combination of programming languages, frameworks, APIs, etc. These experts usually start with guidance and direction from the solution architect and consult closely with engineers.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Solution Architect
The work of a solution architect (SA) is to start after the business analyst has prioritized the features and eliminated bottlenecks in the project. Their main function is to create detailed documentation, such as well-designed specifications and thorough diagrams. This is then forming the basis of a software developer’s work. The role of the solution architect and their position in the team can be described below.
The role of a solution architect
In general, the roles and responsibilities of a solution architect are as follows:
- Evaluating and verifying the interoperability and interactions of the Company’s systems;
- Plans to integrate new software solutions into existing ecosystem;
- Translate proposals from stakeholders and business analyst into technical language, creating a project vision;
- Identifying the most suitable technology stacks and tools for a particular project, based on, for examples performance and limiting factor,. timelines and resources;
- Lead and advise the development team on how to establish the processes that will most effectively meet the needs of the organization and the products;
- Inform stakeholders about product details and progress etc.
Solution architect’s skills
Now that we have outlined the responsibilities of a solution architect, it will be useful to outline the core skills required of them. This list will help you conduct effective interviews for hiring the right solution architect as needed.
Generally, these IT professionals have already achieved excellent results in terms of software development experience, team management or project management. They should possess in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in both the technical and non-technical aspects of the project.
The skills of a solution architect should include the following technical abilities:
- Deep understanding of current technologies, organizational infrastructure and business logic to solve problems in an efficient and cost-effective manner;
- Experience with visualization techniques for software development envision, module interactions, and more.
- Practical experience in implementing industry specific software development projects; This is not a must-have, but in some cases can prove to be very useful;
- Good project management skills for resources and project milestones planning;
- Understand the principles of business analysis and documentation to translate business analysis (BA) concepts into technical formats.
The key skills based on their personal characteristics, are:
- Good command of complex technical reasoning and negotiation strategies to collaborate with stakeholders including BA, PM, etc.;
- Leadership mindset to coordinate solution development and take responsibility;
- Analysis capabilities to divide the large project work into smaller parts;
- Collaborative and creative approach to working with others
Solution architect’s certification
It is worth noting that a strong solution architect should possess a solid experience working with cloud computing services and appropriate solution architect certifications.
For example, experts demonstrate their superior knowledge by obtaining certificates such as AWS Solution Architect certification, an Azure Solution Architect certification, and others. Mastering these skills requires a practical application of cloud engineering tools, principles, and patterns.
In addition, a solution architect must be able to plan, design, and manage infrastructure and ensure its security and scalability. It is worth knowing that these certifications expire in time, so the solution architect will have to retake the test every few years to constantly keep up to date their knowledge.
When does your company need to hire a solution architect?
Now, after diving deep into the role and responsibilities of an SA, let’s take a look at the situations when your company cannot manage without them:
- You are trying to integrate a newly developed software solution into your mature technology ecosystem;
- You are developing a unnecessarily complex software solution and want to simplify it and organize its components in the right way to reduce risks;
- You are deciding one of several options to solve the specific technical problem in the best way and according to the company’s and industry standards;
- You are trying to align your business strategy with digital transformation programs to deliver better customer value;
- You are determined to convince investors of the value of your initiatives and want to show them the technical logic behind your idea.
- You want to improve communication and collaboration between technical and non-technical teams, reduce misunderstandings and deliver the results that executives expect.
Final-words
The roles and responsibilities of a technical solution architect, their capabilities and the circumstances under which support is required are not limited to the definitions in this article. These professionals are undoubtedly highly helpful in adapting and managing various business processes and making important technical decisions.