The solution architect’s role is to analyze all non-functional requirements and ensure that further product engineering will meet them. In a rapidly changing technology environment, organizations face the need to transform their processes and systems to meet emerging business requirements. This digital transformation demands specific expertise and a set of practices to align business focus with technology solutions.
The average annual base pay for a solutions architect in the US is $197,854, although it ranges from about $99,000 to $172,000, according to Glassdoor [1]. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment opportunities for computer network architects are expected to grow 4 percent from 2021 to 2031 [2]. As companies expand their information technology networks, the demand for solutions architects will likely increase. Finally, a solution architect participates in making the most crucial technical decision that may impact the project’s ultimate results (for example, technology stack and integration with third-party systems). The implementation stage covers the entire process of software development, including writing specifications and quality assurance. At first, a software architect works with the tech team to elaborate on all possible options of how the idea can be made a reality.
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The SA has the ultimate responsibility for making the technologies work together. As a result the SA role comes with a requisite level of responsibility for the success of the project. Where the development lead focuses on detailed knowledge of a particular area the SA is very broad.
- Traditionally, small and mid-size businesses consider neither the practice of solution architecture nor the respective role justified.
- If you implement a single tech module that is proven to be working in similar contexts, you don’t need a solution architect.
- If you only have one project that will not take very long to work on, you also do not need a solution architect.
- The highest credential is the ITIL Master for those professionals who work in IT service management and have extensive experience with ITIL practices.
- Being able to communicate effectively with stakeholders, project managers, developers, and software vendors involved in the software development process is essential for a solutions architect.
- They may also be responsible for managing project budgets, timelines, and resources, ensuring that the solutions they design are delivered on time and within budget.
- Every application within a larger business process either works independently or interacts with other applications or services as needed to bring value and fulfill requirements.
They should be business-minded and 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. Being able to communicate effectively with stakeholders, project managers, developers, and software vendors involved in the software development process is essential for a solutions architect. As an architect has a central role in any project and leads every team on it, ineffective communication can lead to big bottlenecks.
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It is an architectural description of a specific solution based on predefined processes and best practices. As the initial step for creating new enterprise solutions, it ensures that every solution meets the business requirements and fits into the enterprise architecture as a whole. Security, scalability, usability, and performance are the usual non-functional requirements, although they may vary, depending on the overall product characteristics and complexity. The solutions architect’s job is to oversee the software development process to ensure that the end product meets these basic quality attributes. Solution architecture itself encompasses business, system, information, security, application and technology architecture. Some examples of solutions architecture include developing cloud infrastructure for efficiency, implementing microservices for ecommerce, or adopting security measures for data, systems, and networks.
He or she is mainly responsible for building a proper infrastructure to support a company’s business strategy. Business owners often think about effectiveness, productivity, cutting costs, optimization, etc, while software engineers worry more about specific engineering challenges. Solution Architects require a combination of technical expertise, business acumen, and excellent communication skills. They need to understand not only the technology and software they are working with but also the business context and the needs of the end users. While the development lead is responsible for their part of the solution, the SA is the proverbial one neck to choke if it doesn’t all come together right.
Technologies selection
Enterprise architecture defines the strategic directions of the business architecture, which then leads to an understanding of what technology facilities are needed to support that architecture. So, in other words, the enterprise architect defines what has to be done, while the solution architect then decides how to do it. These misconceptions come from a lot of architects doing a pretty bad job, and organizations doing a terrible job at understanding what an architect is for.
Its importance is nonetheless often overlooked or even completely ignored by companies at both ends. Before we dive into the topic, let’s clarify who is a solutions architect in general. Development of system/solution documentations [software requirements specification (SRS), software design document (SDD), user manual, training manual, standard operating procedure (SOP), etc.]. The solution architect must be able to describe the solution in a language understandable to all.
Project and Resource Management
As such, solution architects may spend a significant portion of their time in meetings, discussions, and brainstorming sessions, both with their colleagues and with external stakeholders. The final component to the role of solution architect is the motivation and guidance of the development leads. Development leaders need to buy into and accept the architecture, to know how the pieces will fit together at a high level. They must also see the art portion of the architecture to get an appreciation of the subtle nuances of their portion of the architecture. That elegance helps to maintain cohesion between various parts of the design and encourages simplicity. It is necessary for the lower level design and approach to match the higher-level architecture for the solution to be cohesive.
For more senior roles, you may need more experience or education, including a master’s degree. Depending on the role, you might also need experience in specific IT areas, such as networking administration, development, customer service, or other relevant areas. After developing and testing ETORRS based on the solution architecture, TWG demonstrated the solution to a larger working group that included EPHI, CDC Ethiopia, ICAP, and CHAI directors for their endorsement. Upon approval, the solution was deployed in a few selected facilities as a pilot and then expanded to more facilities. The pilot was done in 13 health facilities and 3 VL testing laboratories in 2 regions, with close monitoring by the TWG.
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These little projects can even be ones where the organization hasn’t identified the project as something that needs to be done yet but are items that a member of the software development team realizes that would be helpful. Giving a short definition, solution architecture is used to translate the way a project must be built to a development team. A specialist designs, describes, and manages the solution in order for it to comply with the business goals and requirements. Apart from that, the expert also explains how the different parts of a project work together to achieve an optimal solution. However, solution architects don’t just hand out instructions and then leave the scene.
The latter determines what business structure, processes, and operations allow a company to meet its strategic objectives. Alternatively, we may say that enterprise architecture defines how a company’s business strategy can be executed most efficiently. At the same time, solution architecture is responsible for the technological support of such execution. As you can see, https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ the key skills of a solutions architect lie at the intersection of business and IT. Apart from the vast IT background, engineering and software design skills, the person you hire for this position should have expertise in project management and business analytics. Experience in DevOps, IT infrastructure, and cloud development is also highly desirable for this position.
Importance of Solutions Architects
While a solution architect doesn’t directly get involved in project management, accounting for deadlines and given resources is inevitable. Solution architects must be able to make decisions about which solutions are advantageous and which are worthless in a given situation. solution architect definition They must be focused on business results and understand how to achieve them according to the given timeframes and resources. While the practice can be managed in-house, there are companies that provide solution architecture consulting as a specific set of services.