A solution architect takes a business’ goals and envisions the IT strategy that will achieve them. From designing to executing and managing a solution, they’re a driving force behind digital transformation in any organisation.
In a 2017 survey, Planview found that 73% of businesses don’t have the resources they need to meet incoming demand, meaning they see projects fail and struggle to maintain momentum during transformative periods.
A solution architect equips businesses with the necessary software, hardware and infrastructure to avoid this issue. By uncovering the technical solutions needed to solve business problems and empower teams for growth, they have a direct influence on business outcomes.
TECHNOPEDIA DEFINES SOLUTIONS ARCHITECTURE AS A SET OF:
“enterprise solutions, applications, and processes that integrate with each other in order to address specific needs and requirements.”
The key responsibilities of a solution architect
- Use technology to solve a business problem, including selecting the most appropriate framework, platform or tech stack.
- Plan how tech will scale inline with business growth, and how it will be maintained.
- Identify opportunities to improve processes.
- Work with development teams to build software.
- Liaise with clients and stakeholders to understand expectations and implement solutions.
- Ensure clients and stakeholders understand the structure and characteristics of the adopted tech – along with the reasons for using it.
Essential skills, knowledge & experience
- People and leadership skills
- Great communication skills
- Risk management
- Software development experience
- Technical background
- Resource management
- Operating systems
- Business analysis
- Cloud development, web platforms and software administration
Aligning IT strategy with business objectives
Working with the development team, a solution architect makes the key technical decisions within the design of a software application. Once they come up with a solution that’s aligned with business goals, they’re also responsible for putting the technical vision into action.
In an era where technology is constantly evolving, a solution architect stays on top of the industry to keep a business operating at the top of its game. By regularly checking in on the needs of an organisation, its clients and stakeholders, they can be sure to roll out the most robust technical solutions. These solutions are in place to solve critical challenges, streamline processes and meet business objectives.