Content
- Project Management
- Job Description Examples
- Appendix 1: The Emergence Of Architecture Frameworks
- Solution Architect Responsibilities And Duties
Business systems are inflexible, because digitizing and codifying can make it hard to change business roles and processes. A selection of architect role definitions are posted in the left-hand column of this “Enterprise architecture roles and realities” page.
They also manage all activities that lead to the successful implementation of a new application. Altogether, these roles put technological solutions into practice ensuring that the application designs support the technological strategy defined by the enterprise architect. However, technical architects are not only in charge of the implementation of new technologies. They also provide recommendations and inform stakeholders about potential threats.
Project Management
They should be business-minded, capable of identifying the most effective solution at every turn, for every part of the architecture. It is their responsibility to focus on business goals, including hiring new people, and understand how to achieve them in the set timeframe and within the given budget. A solutions architect starts very early in the project, laying out what is to come.
- Thus, they create a link between the technological vision and its actual implementation.
- For more details, see the INCOSE Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge and the many Architecture Frameworks defined by the engineering community .
- Enable the Continuous Delivery Pipeline and DevOps – Making effective decisions in the face of changing or unknown needs requires Agile teams to receive fast feedback on the solution’s effectiveness.
- Their role also involves examining current business architectural designs and working with other professionals to ensure successful implementation of such designs and completion of projects.
It is not hyperbole to state that the role of the solution architect is one of the most important for the design of any tech solution. Companies expect freelance technical solutions architects to have completed an undergraduate degree in a related field, such as IT, computer science or network technologies. They’ll also want to see that you have appropriate professional qualifications and that you have continued your education during your career. Certification will help you stand out above other non-certified people on the FE platform. These virtual models, also called ‘digital twins’, are validated by information collected from the physical and operational environments, as shown by the feedback loops in Figure 3. Solution AEs work across functional domains and organizational boundaries to create this digital engineering environment.
Solution Architects should possess a combination of skills in order to help design, build and lead the execution of a solution with precision and effectiveness. In the following section of this article, we are going to dissect the skills anatomy of a formidable Solution Architect. Solutions architects early in their career report earning an average salary of $94,000 per year. As experience rises to mid-career, the average reported salary ranges from $115,000 to $137,000 per year. For late-career solutions architects with 20 years or more of experience, the average reported salary is $135,000 per year. The overall need for SAs will continue to increase as the problems that the SMEs present are more complex and thus they require more complex solutions.
Job Description Examples
They communicate with their team members to determine the best methods to overcome business problems using computer software. Their job is to meet with clients or business management to determine current concerns for the company and identify how the implementation of computer systems can help solve problems. They may also be responsible for identifying future business needs and preemptively planning for system integrations or changes. A well-informed and well-supported solutions architect will solve the kinds of business problems that might otherwise stall progression. They fixate on the long-term, strategic vision of the organization and work with to ensure that vision is adaptable. Read Other EA challenges for populating your strategy and architecture team, governance of solution architects by enterprise architects, and “Guerilla EA”. This article goes on to say more about the enterprise and solution architect roles, and challenges facing EA today.
In the Agile approach, however, many technical details are left to evolve over time based on learning, with decisions finalized later in the lifecycle following a Set-Based Design approach. As a result, teams are trusted to make the local design decisions that adapt to changing needs without waiting for architects to produce new designs. Serving in an Architect/Engineering role in a Lean Enterprise often requires adopting new mindsets and habits in how people approach their work. This approach changes how architects apply their technical expertise and requires a systems-thinking mindset. For a more complete view of designing system and solutions in an agile manner, see Agile Architecture. GitLab’s Director, Alliances & Channels Solution Architects provides strategic vision and builds and develops an exceptional team of partner-focused Solution Architects.
Uncover the value of a successful EA practice, and how that translates to your organization. With the enterprise architect’s expertise, a company’s leadership can determine how artificial intelligence, IoT or blockchain could be used to create a competitive advantage. It’s the creation of a framework that will solve problems and plot a course toward success after taking the issues into consideration. It’s a specialized job that involves quite a bit of analysis, internal and external investigations, surveys, studies, and so much more. A new solution needed to be introduced in order to curb such losses of resources, particularly in a field as competitive and as volatile as the tech industry. Being delayed can mean a lot of money lost for bigger entities while for smaller ones, it can mean complete failure.
Perhaps the most critical skills for the SA are the ability to create consensus and understanding around the architecture. Digital Transformation – if your company is looking to explore digital transformation projects for the future, you want to ensure that you obtain the services of a solution architect. A solution architect can help you design a solution that fits your technology stack and also your overall enterprise ecosystem. Software development companies require a solution architect and their skills frequently. Responsible for working with project management – solution architects look after the creation of the overall solution.
Solutions architect skills include technical knowledge, communication, and leadership skills. Solution architecture is focused on details and solution technologies to address a specific business problem. As the architect has a central role in any project and leads every team on it, ineffective communication can lead to big bottlenecks. So, a solutions architect should be able to clearly explain, understand everyone’s point of view, listen, advise, and influence.
Appendix 1: The Emergence Of Architecture Frameworks
Build a software solution with robust architecture specific to your business need. A Solution Architect usually reports to a Senior Solution Architect within their team, or the Solution Department Manager.
It is impossible to digitize roles and processes that are changed by actors on the fly, or use unknowable heuristics. And that is OK; some things are best left to human judgement and informal processes. To generalize, it is clear that soft skills are important, both EA and SA roles require communication and leadership skills. In addition, they are expected to have a holistic understanding of a business and the technologies it uses.
A solutions architect in a client-facing role will also need to understand how to manage customer satisfaction and set proper expectations for the end-product. Along with the technical and business skills, a solutions architect needs to be able to talk to teams and leaders both inside and outside a company. Solutions Architects are the trusted advisors to GitLab prospects and clients, showing how the GitLab solutions address client business requirements. Solutions Architects are responsible for driving and managing the technology evaluation and validation stages of the sales process. They focus on the technical solution while also understanding the business outcomes the customer is trying to achieve.
Instead of having to fit into a mold that suits other companies, custom software lets a business be more efficient and effective. With Field Engineer, you can get access to a wide selection of companies all looking to hire people like you to their team. With us, you can get the clients you want and take on as much or as little work as you like, retaining complete control over your work-life balance. Solutions architects are particularly useful in the telecom and IT sectors for overseeing complex systems.
Software architecture can be intimidating, which is why at Svitla Systems, we do our best and beyond to remove the uncertainty and challenges out of your hands and create the best solutions for you from scratch. With a skilled team of software architects for your convenience, we can help you orchestrate success through software. Svitla Systems takes the complexity out of your hands and builds your company’s software architecture from the ground up. With the right combination of people, tools, and technology, we orchestrate the best strategies to achieve the best degree of operational efficiency through a robust software solution. Given the strategic place that Solution Architects hold, their technical background and experience prior to entering this role must be evaluated and meet a specific set of needs. Although a solutions architect is not directly involved in project development, they still need to ensure that project resources are being used efficiently and impactfully. Conducts a system architecture evaluation and collaborates with project management and IT development teams to improve the architecture.
This solution architect job description sample can help you create the ideal posting to attract the best qualified candidates. By building on the structure and organization of this outline and customizing it with your specific job duties and requirements, you can turn those candidates into applicants. You can also browse our solution architect job listings for more ideas on how to fill out your description. Enterprise and solution architects work to support and contribute to business planning by business system planning. They look to optimize and extend business roles and processes, and exploit the use of business data.
Although not a substitute for the PM role, the solution architect position requires strong management skills. A solution architect accounts for budget, resources, and deadlines, and should be result-oriented and business-focused. This task requires understanding the specifics of software solutions existing on the market in order to select exactly the ones that will meet the company’s needs and resolve pressing issues. The technology sphere is in constant constructive flux, and every year new innovations flood the market. With a solution architect, the client can stay abreast of optimal solutions to problems they might be facing and effectively evaluate the latest tech trends for inclusion viability.
You will have a strong understanding of Microsoft custom solutions development, design and project delivery lifecycles with an emphasis of working in client facing environments. You will also assist in pre-sales activities for current or prospective clients, and will be seen as a key element in exploring and adopting new technologies and best-practices into our customers and Version 1. NextLabs is looking for a highly motivated Solution Architect who is passionate about developing complex solutions for our strategic customers using the NextLabs Data-centric security for the SAP product line. You will help define solution strategy, drive design and technical implementation, and architect innovative solutions. You will work on diverse projects from gathering customer requirements to implementing the solution, providing Information Security and Compliance solutions for Global 2000 companies.
Assist in the development of the systems integration capabilities across multiple accounts within the business. Leading the development of innovative solutions in support of major capture efforts, balancing these solutions against cost, schedule, function, quality, and other business considerations. We are seeking a Solution Architect to lead delivery of a modern storage solution across multiple sites. During this five-year contract, the Solution Architect will be directly responsible for assessment, design, planning, and deployment of the new storage solution.
This position requires at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or software engineering. Although experience is not always required, several years of network administration experience is beneficial. The overarching goal of an enterprise architect is to ensure that the company has smooth development lifecycles and uses available resources for every enterprise application effectively.