Who is a Solution Architect and what does he do? Here is a handy guide to becoming the best Solution Architect in the tech industry

A solution architect evaluates a specific business requirement, builds, and integrates information and computer systems that meet that requirement. It is the work of solution architects to bridge the gap between business requirements and the implementation of technology solutions. The business requirements may be products or services to be consumed directly by the business or to be offered/sold to the customers. It’s the role of the solution architect to put together the software and hardware that will efficiently meet these business requirements. The Solution Architect is also tasked with examining the current platform/systems, and work with business and technical staff to recommend solutions that will result in more effective systems.

What does a solution architect do?

In a nutshell a solution architect is a “technical problem solver”. He evaluates business requirements and puts together different software and hardware to create a platform or system that will effectively and efficiently meet the business requirements.

It is the role of the solution architect to actively lead the technical vision of any technology company to success, he is responsible for continuously evaluating the current technology platforms and making sure they are UpToDate with the current market requirements and always looking for ways of improving them or introducing new technology solutions. Solution architects don’t only design a solution, but also participate in, implementation, testing, performance analysis and solution lifecycle management. That is, they continuously evaluate the solution and look for ways of improving it so it can adapt to the changes in the market and user demands.

Here is a summary of the main responsibilities of a solution architect:

• Analyze current technologies used within the company and determine ways to improve
• Document and monitor requirements needed to institute proposed updates
• Work closely with Information Technology professionals within the company to ensure the hardware is available for projects and working properly
• Propose and establish the framework for necessary contributions from various departments
• Account for possible project challenges and constraints including, risks, time, resources, and scope
• Work closely with project management teams to successfully monitor the progress of initiatives
• Provide detailed specifications for proposed solutions

To become a successful solution architect in the tech industry, you need to possess the skills and ability to take a set of business requirements and turn them into a full-fledged architecture and design that is the blueprint of a successful solution. And to successfully design a solution end-to-end, you need to be able to make informed choices at different stages of the solution design, that is, the hardware, the operating system, the storage, the network, and the application. In all these design considerations you must be fully aware of the budget. The dilemma is always in finding the optimal solution yet cost effective. The primary goal of most businesses is to always increase profitability by reducing costs without sacrificing customer experience and it’s your goal as a solution architect to ensure that this dilemma is addressed in all your design considerations. So, with all these in mind, here are some of the practical skills and knowledge that you must have to become a successful end-to-end solution architect in the modern tech world ... Click here to continue reading this article