A solution architect is responsible for not only the technical part of an IT system but also for business processes, analysis of domain area, data processing, cooperation with the digital marketing team, etc. The candidate’s in-depth mastery of cloud computing and solution architect’s certification requires special mention. The predominant providers grant experts the possibility to officially confirm their top-notch expertise, e.g. by obtaining AWS solution architect certification, Azure solution architect certification, etc. Such proficiency recognition necessitates a practical mastery of cloud engineering tools, principles, and systems. In addition, examinees must know how to plan, design, and manage the infrastructure and provide for its security and scalability. It’s worth mentioning that these official confirmations expire, and thus, the exams must be retaken every few years or so.

Solution architects rely on application architecture to create a map of all applications (usually in a layered structure) and how they interact with each other. The candidate is also required to have over 5 years of experience in leadership, managerial, or high-level advisory roles. Once these conditions are fulfilled, the hopeful will have to register with PeopleCert (the approved Axelos Examination Institute), solutions architect meaning fill out the application, and present their CV. Next, the proposal for a business improvement has to be submitted together with the work package that shows the candidate’s practical skills in applying the ITIL principles in real-world business cases. After that, the applicants will have to successfully pass an interview with an assessment panel where they will be questioned on their experience.

Skills and job requirements for the Solutions Architect role

If you’re already an IT architect, hopefully, you have a better understanding of your peers that are working hard to help put the systems you help create to good use. You can start learning the basics of Kubernetes, but hey, you cannot learn the basics of Kubernetes without learning Linux basics because Kubernetes is actually Linux. If you want to be a Solution Architect, you need to have at least a basic understanding of Linux skills.

• And even in talks about the projects they’re working on in their careers, there will always be a topic about the products that we use.
• This means that an infrastructure specialist helps grow and maintain the production side of a corporate software ecosystem, rather than software development itself.
• Solution Architects are highly valuable assets in any enterprise, but their significance becomes more distinct in large-sized companies that require a robust solution architecture framework.
• The solution architect works directly on the project while the business analyst develops the requirements.

Most of the certification platforms, besides the exam itself, offer training courses, learning materials, and practice tests. Other resources can also be helpful to prepare and practice such as Udemy, Coursera, or MeasureUp. However, the exam can be taken without previous preparation — all that is required is deep knowledge of the architecture concepts and principles and a vast hands-on experience in the industry. With this transformation and the opportunity for growth, more and more professionals are setting their sights on this promising position that is already one of the highest-paid jobs in the IT industry.

Recommended Content for You

In addition, the solution architect is responsible for ensuring that all requirements are met during development. He must examine the limitations of the project in order to optimize possible alternatives and reduce risks. In general, the solution architect is the link between the technical team and the project manager. It ensures the speed and accuracy of information transfer, as well as controls key development processes. A solutions architect is responsible for evaluating an organization’s business needs and determining how IT can support those needs leveraging software, hardware, or infrastructure. Aligning IT strategy with business goals has become paramount, and a solutions architect can help determine, develop, and improve technical solutions in support of business goals.

They are responsible for defining the scope, identifying potential opportunities, and selecting appropriate technologies and platforms to achieve the desired outcomes. Considering that this role entails negotiating with stakeholders, understanding the needs of all parties, managing risks, and product delivery, the lack of communication skills can create a real bottleneck. The position requires working closely with enterprise and software architects, business analysts, and project teams. So, an experienced solution architect should be able to listen, advise, empathize, and explain. A technical solution architect’s roles and responsibilities, their qualifications, and the situations when their assistance is required, aren’t limited by thе description presented in this piece.

What is a solutions architect?

These specialists oversee the existing IT systems and networks, and explore and integrate new ones, making sure that they meet all requirements in regard to resilience, security, performance, availability, etc. Well, I started as an operations lead, where I was leading https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ about 28 people doing daily tasks, managing around 15 customers on a daily basis. Even then, I spent a lot of time learning major technologies — middleware, programming languages, databases — and improving my soft skills, such as writing and communications.

Level role responsibilities and requirements may be extended or overlayed by Specialty SA Roles when they also apply to a team member. Technology advances happen fast, and industry-toppling changes can happen in hours. Being curious about new developments and hungry for knowledge is a vital part of success in this role. Solutions architects must also develop detailed use case diagrams for visualizing system components and user stories and projecting their interactions. They have to create system flow diagrams to illustrate the flow of information and control between components.

Sample Solutions Architect Job Description

So, those conversations basically can be very high level — like a 10,000 feet away kind of view — or a detailed technical conversation. That means, you will have to make and publish a detailed description of the cloud solution architect position in your organization, which you can do by adopting the sample job description given above. This section, which you can make by using the cloud solution architect duties in the job description example above, gives you the opportunity to tell the recruiter that you have or are successfully performing the role. The cloud solution architect is an information technology (IT) specialist responsible for the overall development and design of a robust, scalable, and cloud based platform.

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. For example, a travel provider like Booking.com wants to create an app to let customers book flights, hotels, and cabs from mobile devices.

Vice President of SA Requirements

The name “infrastructure architect” usually highlights the fact that this specialist designs and implements software solutions based on the current infrastructure of the customer’s business. In the context of software development, an architecture represents both the structure of the future software product and the plan of building it in order to meet client’s requirements and solve their specific problem. This definition may seem vague and generic, but only because customers’ problems are different, so they demand different solutions, usually with a unique approach. Professional Cloud Architect is the one for experts who use Google Cloud technologies in their solutions.

Without the guidance and expertise of a solution architect, projects may fail to meet their objectives, may not be scalable, secure, or maintainable, and may not provide the expected return on investment. A senior architect is a role that has a high level of experience and expertise in solution architecture, and is recognized as an authority and a leader in the field. A senior architect provides strategic direction and guidance for the solution architecture practice, as well as the architecture standards and frameworks. A senior architect also participates in complex and critical projects, and provides consultation and advice to other architects and stakeholders. A senior architect needs to have a proven track record of delivering successful solutions, as well as the ability to mentor and inspire others. The concept of a solution architecture is rather complex and includes many aspects required to create a custom software solution with a specific purpose.

Intersection of the Solutions Architect role with Software, Enterprise, and Infrastructure Architect roles

A domain architect also reviews and validates the design and implementation of the domain components, and provides guidance and support to the developers and testers. A domain architect needs to have a deep expertise and experience in the domain, as well as the ability to collaborate and communicate with other architects and stakeholders. It’s not really easy to find and hire a well-matching IT solution architect as the market demand for accomplished specialists is enormous. If you want to hire an in-house member the search process will take a while as you have limited access to professionals in your area.

Comments