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As solution architecture is more focused on details and solution technologies to address a specific business problem, it provides a channel between enterprise architecture and technical architecture. An effective approach for companies is combining enterprise architecture activities with solution and technical architecture activities. In general, the solutions architect’s role is to explain the business requirements to the development team and lead them in building a product that can solve real business issues effectively. The position is very responsible and requires wide-ranging IT skills and knowledge. With companies increasingly relying on software and emerging technologies, the role of this expert will continue to gain weight.

A solutions architect position primarily focuses on solution-level decisions and analysis of their impact on the overall business goals and their outcomes. In practice, the responsibility of a solution architect depends on the business processes in a particular company. There is no one set path to becoming a successful solutions architect like there is for other professions. Successful solutions architects come from a variety of technical backgrounds including information technology, computer science, and software development. Solution architecture can be introduced to the corporate structure by technology consulting organizations if the process of integrating new software systems isn’t systematic. On top of that, there is no need to have a solution architect for every single project.

How to Become a Solutions Architect: What Is the Best Solutions Architect Career Path?

Professional Cloud Architect is the one for experts who use Google Cloud technologies in their solutions. Again, it’s not only for solution architects but for any professional dealing with Google cloud architecture. While a solution architect doesn’t directly get involved in project management, accounting for deadlines and given resources is inevitable.

Each of these individual systems provides a certain value while executing specific operations and completing processes in the act of driving. When we’re cold, we can turn on the heat or air conditioning if we’re hot. We can turn on the headlights at night, and when it’s raining, we can use the windshield wipers. As such, a solution architect is a must-have for those companies that go for complex solutions beyond a mere WordPress cookie-cutter.

Google cloud architect certification

If you implement a single tech module that is proven to be working in similar contexts, you don’t need a solution architect. Once software engineering projects grow more complicated and entail a bigger number what does solution architect do of processes and risks, it’s better to consider solution architecture consulting services. One of the most important challenges of software product development is meeting the stakeholders’ requirements.

For instance, a product is built with technologies that must suit the requirements of its particular modules. Project scope is a part of software documentation that defines specific goals, tasks, features, and functions. If SA is involved in the development, you can be completely confident that the new software product will solve key business problems. This means that at the end of development, the company receives not just a working application, but a product that will lead to scaling.

Accounting for project constraints

These solutions typically involve software or technology systems and are designed to solve specific problems or to improve specific processes within the company. Solution architects bring clarity to a business by understanding the current software domain and tailoring it in ways that improve technical and business performance. They are prominent figures in today’s business environment because more companies require complex software architectures to achieve their goals.

Enterprise architects are responsible for managing an organization’s entire enterprise ecosystem. In contrast, the role of solution architects is to address business goals and needs through technology solutions. Solution architects play a vital role in software engineering, business operations, and IT support. A solution architect works to match technology solutions and business processes. A technical architect is a role that focuses on the technical aspects of the solution, such as the infrastructure, platforms, tools, frameworks, and technologies.

Solution Architect: Processes, Role Description, Responsibilities, and Certifications

A solutions architect is an IT expert with a client-oriented role in the business world. This person is in charge of upgrading an organization’s information technology architecture. Solutions architects evaluate specific business needs before selecting, building, and integrating the information and computer systems that will allow the organization to meet its goals. The previous sections have outlined the importance of solution architecture during digital transformations and how solution architects can drive change by managing the implementation of IT projects. But what are more specific solution architecture benefits that motivate business leaders to hire SA specialists? However, solution architects don’t just hand out instructions and then leave the scene.

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 solution architect role also requires being able to project into the future and consider upcoming uses. A solutions architect must view the long-term use of this product and implement scalability and adaptability into the solution for the future. Solution architecture is a description of a specific solution that comprises business-related, informational, and technical points of view. Solution architectures help developers define the requirements and strategies needed to successfully implement a software solution.

The main indicator of the quality of work solutions architect

Thus, solution architecture translates technical business needs into practical IT solutions while establishing rules and instructions for proper implementation and delivery. It also considers all external factors that could have an impact on the development process. This way, digital projects are less likely to fail and there is a consensus between EA teams and development teams. SA can be seen as a support system that provides structure and reduces the scope of complexity when developing and rolling out new systems and applications. Solution architecture provides the ground for software development projects by tailoring IT solutions to specific business needs and defining their functional requirements and stages of implementation. It is comprised of many subprocesses that draw guidance from various enterprise architecture viewpoints.

• Each project starts with a foundation – a vision of how things should be, how the whole thing should operate, which elements contribute to the workflow, etc.
• They have a clear vision of a product and understand how this product should benefit a business.
• This means that an infrastructure specialist helps grow and maintain the production side of a corporate software ecosystem, rather than software development itself.
• Also, the architect may sometimes propose technical standards, including coding standards, tools, or platforms.
• Some education pathways for solutions architects cover the field in general, while others focus on a specific application or vendor platform.
• A domain architect defines the standards, policies, and patterns for the domain, as well as the interfaces and dependencies with other domains.

So, we can say that the product of a solution architect’s job is the set of technological solutions and the strategy of their implementation. Traditionally, small and mid-size businesses consider neither the practice of solution architecture nor the respective role justified. Addressing solution architecture problems is delegated and shared across other roles within a product team. Successful solutions architects have a variety of skills and competencies. To manage development teams, they must also know the relation between the enterprise environment and a given software architecture design process.

Solution Architects focus on:

Sometimes, these evaluations are run by business analysts who also provide a definition of the problem. In the next step, solution architects take this problem and start crafting a description of solutions that appropriately address this need. From a bird-eye view, solution architects can be seen as the link between enterprise architects and technical architects as they’re trying to find the right IT answer to a specific business riddle. Most solutions architects have a deep understanding of the technologies involved in information networks and software development and are capable of providing technical leadership within the organization. Essentially, solutions architects should have a background in some sort of technological solutions. However, many businesses prefer to see solutions architects with experience in software development and computer networks.