Enterprise Architect vs. Solution Architect

What does a solution architect do?

Broadly speaking, a solution architect’s task is to evaluate all business requirements and come up with solutions in the form of products or services. Once they are given a problem, solution architects are not only in charge of finding answers, but also of actively leading the technical vision to success.

Solution architecture is comprised of several complex processes and sub-processes. It plays a central role in an organization’s efforts to introduce and successfully implement new technology solutions. In the first step, solution architecture specialists closely look at how the different elements of business, information and technology can be applied to solve a specific problem. Next, they propose a combination of building blocks that provides the best possible fix. This process is very detail-oriented and serves as a connecting piece between enterprise architecture and technical architecture. It also requires a breadth of knowledge in the technical and business inner workings of the company.

After solution architects have designed a solution for an existing problem, it is their job to manage the tasks and activities that are involved with its successful implementation. During the entire process, the specialists oversee all technological risks and make sure that the described solution proves to be consistent while meeting all the necessary requirements. They coordinate ongoing activities and translate the design concept to IT operations. Thus, in their assigned role, solution architects most resemble project managers who make sure that everyone involved, including the stakeholders, are on the same page and move into the right direction throughout all phases.

What does an enterprise architect do?

While solution architects engineer solutions for specific business problems, enterprise architects verify that the IT strategy is aligned with the organization’s mission. It is their job to analyze business properties as well as the external environment and define all business needs.

Among all IT architects, enterprise architects have the most overarching view of the organization and know of its capabilities and potentials. They play a key role when it comes to identifying business needs in context with external factors like competitors and internal factors like a company’s IT landscape. They are in charge of analyzing current trends in technology architecture and educating technology departments about new frameworks and best practices. Through the use of clear architectural models and the help of domain architects, they define business goals and design an information technology roadmap. This roadmap is supposed to create a bridge between context and concept.

With the enterprise architect’s expertise, a company’s leadership can determine how artificial intelligence, IoT or blockchain could be used to create a competitive advantage. In this context, the enterprise architect needs to make sure that the right enterprise infrastructure is created while the new applications meet all business standards and are in line with the company’s integrity. Even though enterprise architects sometimes deal with technical questions like an app’s life cycle and technological environments, they mostly delegate specific tasks to the solution or technical architect. Since they aren’t focused on the fine details, they have the most abstract view of structures and processes and never lose sight of the big picture.