What Is A Solutions Architect?: Role & Responsibilities

Along with developers, engineers need to understand and interpret the product requirements to build the apps, systems, and solutions to achieve the desired outcome. They also need to be able to resolve problems and address bugs that might arise during the development process. Alternatively, a software architect will be involved in the build phase of the project. Their job is to define and document software structures based on known functional and non-functional requirements. This will enable software engineers to produce the solution as defined, reviewed, and approved by the solution architect. The main difference between a solutions architect and a software architect is their main focus.

Next, they propose a combination of building blocks that provides the best possible solution.

What Are the Essential Skills of a Solutions Architect?

A key part of this mission is ensuring we have optimized IT infrastructure — and to do that, we need a qualified and dedicated solution architect. Preferred candidates will be skilled at identifying pain points and designing or modifying technical solutions to solve company problems. The solution architect will be deeply solution architect role involved in daily work across all business units, regularly interacting with both stakeholders and subject matter experts. A solutions architect should hold the caliber to communicate effectively with project managers, stakeholders, software vendors, and iOS and android developers in the software development process.

And if you’re working on a product team, you might also be expected to work with clients to understand expectations and requirements. 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. Solution architecture is the underpinning for any IT project, regardless of whether you actually adopt this practice or not.

Google cloud architect certification

We’d recommend choosing the second option as solution architects and enterprise architects mostly focus on different goals. Prior to considering solution architecture, we recommend exploring enterprise architecture frameworks that combine both solution and enterprise levels. Certifications are intended to validate the skills and expertise of solution architects. So, having one or more credentials proves the expert’s proficiency in specific skills.

Stakeholders have to be regularly informed about product development processes, costs, and budgeting. These tasks are usually done by a solution architect who translates technical project details into a language that management and non-technical stakeholders can understand. In general, solution architect roles and responsibilities include designing a solution architecture and implementing it in practice.

Responsibilities Of Solution Architect

A Solution Architect professional usually requires a degree in Computer Science or a related field, supplemented by several years of experience in IT or a related field. They must also be versed in architectural principles, frameworks, and software design. It is essential for organizations to recognize the value Solutions Architects bring to the table and offer competitive compensation packages to attract and retain top talent in this field.

• The position is very responsible and requires wide-ranging IT skills and knowledge.
• Perhaps the most critical skills for the SA are the ability to create consensus and understanding around the architecture.
• The interconnection of modules and solution elements is presented on the detailed product scheme.
• Basically, they take separate requirements to the global company’s infrastructure and turn these requirements into real solutions.
• A person may find their way to this coveted role within only a few years of professional experience but more frequently it takes a dozen or more years to consistently find themselves in this role.

Additionally, solution architects may be responsible for training and mentoring junior staff members, sharing their knowledge and expertise with others on their team. Besides that, it’s important that solution architects consider the project from a long-term perspective and understand that the solution might need to scale and adapt to possible changes in the future. So, being the one who knows the ultimate target, they guide the development process accordingly. They work closely with the development teams to agree on IT strategies and describe the practices to be followed throughout the project.

Solution architect job description

In addition, your ability to act as a leader will be crucial for directing the overall establishing process of business objectives. Our software development services include web and mobile solutions development, product engineering, UI/UX design, as well as QA and testing. Additionally, we offer comprehensive IT consulting and outstaffing services like dedicated teams. It’s a well-recognized set of qualifications that consists of 5 different levels to fit different experiences and seniority levels. This exam will be suitable not only for IT solution architects but also for people who want to obtain managerial positions in the IT field.

For example, here’s the tech stack we used while working on Blockbuster, a video streaming platform. For example, a travel provider like Booking.com wants to create an app to let customers book flights, hotels, and cabs from mobile devices. Uncover the value of a successful EA practice, and how that translates to your organization. It is the SA’s responsibility to set engagement objectives and scope, develop work plans and coordinate activities across multiple project workstreams.

What Are The Skills Of A Solution Architect?

Another approach to becoming a SA is to become a distinguished Development Lead (DL). The SA skill set is slightly broader and requires a bit more finesse, however, fundamentally the same. The SA lays out the architecture for the overall solution whereas the DL converts that architecture into detailed design. One approach to getting started as a SA is to become a DL and work towards the additional skills that a SA possesses. It is this conversion part of the role – the role of the SA -that most often is underestimated in its complexity.

They start their role by accumulating business requirements, learning its specifications, and performing with stakeholders to deliver the expected solution. A solution architect finds the required software solution and works with a clear project vision and a clear understanding of the client’s business requirements. The average pay scale for IT solutions architects varies widely and is influenced by numerous factors. For instance, a professional with the same qualifications in the US earn between $142K and $238K per year.

What Does a Solutions Architect Do?

It is where the solutions architect roles and responsibilities come into the picture. A solutions architect designs and implements IT systems architectures that meet the set business requirements. Their role starts with gathering the requirements, understanding the specifications, evaluating the systems that are in place, and working closely with stakeholders to deliver the right solution. The concept of a solution architecture is rather complex and includes many aspects required to create a custom software solution with a specific purpose. That’s why there are several subtypes of architecture that handle various functional and non-functional requirements and aspects.

Post your solution architect job now.

To meet these and other business requirements, the Customer needed their QMS modernized with properly managed back-end infrastructure, consistently monitored to ensure their services are highly available. So, there is no training course for this exam since every specialist will be tested based on their individual experience. These limitations may change the product a lot — and thus change its cost and time to market. As architects know the field, they’re aware of these constraints and ways to deal with them. And the faster you deal with them, the faster and cheaper the product will be delivered. After developing a product roadmap, the solution architect is engaged in estimating the budget and introducing it to the stakeholders.

Solution Architect: What Do They Do? A Complete Guide

There are many solution architect certifications available to master a specific technology. The tech architecture strategy directly depends on the technology stack architects choose. Business operations gather and employ the data, while IT obtains, stores, and derives that information from varied database resources.