There are numerous ways to solve business problems, such as improving staff productivity or finding more economical suppliers. Identifying the best solution may require the involvement of various stakeholders from multiple departments, including the Chief Financial Officer, Human Resources, and Management.
When faced with a technical problem, consulting a Solutions Architect is often the most effective solution. These experts excel in creating innovative solutions to complex business issues. Solutions Architects are responsible for analyzing problems, exploring various solutions, devising plans with estimated costs, overseeing in-house software development projects when necessary, and monitoring progress. To achieve successful implementation of the plan, communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders is paramount.
Knowing when to involve a Solutions Architect is crucial. Before delving deeper into this role, let’s examine some signs indicating that it’s time to seek the assistance of an expert.
When and Why to Involve a Solutions Architect
When is it appropriate to engage a Solutions Architect? If the following criteria apply, then the answer is likely yes.
- If your business problem requires a technological solution — and you have one in mind.
- You’re seeking guidance on how to integrate new software into your system.
- Businesses, regardless of their size, can gain from employing or hiring a Solutions Architect, who usually earns an annual compensation of approximately $125,000.
- The proposed technological solutions are feasible and financially viable for your company.
- Enacting the Solutions Architect’s strategy may necessitate the involvement of other team members, such as developers.
- Each team member understands their responsibilities and collaborates effectively with others to accomplish significant projects with groundbreaking results.
Solutions Architect versus Project Manager
A Solutions Architect typically has various responsibilities associated with their job. While there may be some similarities to a Project Manager, the roles are quite distinct. A Solutions Architect’s regular duties include monitoring project completion, among other things. Read about their responsibilities here.
- Evaluate potential technological solutions and assess their applicability to practical business concerns.
- Identify potential obstacles that could impede the implementation of your concepts and devise strategies to overcome them.
- Offer recommendations, detailed proposals, and cost projections for potential solutions.
- Document the necessary and desired attributes of every proposed solution.
- Provide data that substantiates your proposed solutions.
- Develop, examine, and appraise the effectiveness of potential solutions.
- Assess and authenticate the validity of team members’ suggested solutions.
- Deliberate on efficient approaches to resolve issues and document them.
- Identify process improvement opportunities and assist team members in implementing changes.
- Take responsibility for the technical aspects of the project from beginning to end.
- Maintain regular communication with your company’s clients, vendors, and other significant stakeholders.
What Does It Take for a Solutions Architect to Excel in Their Role?
After comprehending the responsibilities that a Solutions Architect must fulfil, it’s vital to examine the skills essential for the job. The most successful Solutions Architects ideally have a minimum of six years of experience in a senior development role and take pleasure in utilizing technology to tackle business-related issues. It’s also crucial that they have a comprehension of various technological tools so that they can choose the most appropriate ones to resolve diverse business problems. As a probable employer of a Solutions Architect, it’s imperative to investigate the candidate’s previous job experience by posing pertinent questions.
- Organizational Processes
- Certifications like “Google Professional Cloud Architect” or “Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect Expert”
- Cloud Programming
- Coding Languages
- Computer Hardware and Software
- Database Management Responsibilities
- DevOps Techniques
- IT Infrastructure
- Management of Computer Networks
- Diverse Software Frameworks
- Software development
- Ensuring System and Information Security
- World Wide Web Technology
Being a Solutions Architect necessitates having excellent engineering skills. But, the position entails more than that. It requires comprehension of the company and its functions, problem-solving skills, creative thinking, leadership ability, and motivation skills. Those working in this sector are usually curious, analytical, and disciplined, all of which are beneficial traits for both the employee and the organization.
What is the Role of an AWS Solutions Architect in a Business?
Some Solutions Architects may choose to obtain AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification alongside other relevant qualifications. As an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Solutions Architect, their primary responsibility is to leverage AWS Cloud services for designing and maintaining critical applications and infrastructure. They evaluate and suggest technologies that can help achieve organizational objectives similar to other Solutions Architects who work with various solutions. In addition, they may also need to migrate legacy systems to the cloud or create new ones.
Solutions Architects are highly desired for their curiosity, problem-solving abilities, analytical proficiency, and communication skills. They also need to have the confidence and competence to lead a team towards successful implementation of the solutions they deliver. To become an AWS Solutions Architect – Associate, one must complete an official AWS training program and pass the certification exam.
Use Cases of Solutions Architects
Before concluding, let’s examine some typical situations where an organization might find a solutions architect valuable.
Company A realizes the potential of providing a Software as a Service (SaaS) version of its commercial software to meet the demand of its customers. To ensure a successful transition, Solutions Architects have been hired to determine the necessary steps. These experts will take into account scalability, service delivery, security, and other crucial aspects in designing such systems.
Company B, a retailer, wants to create a global e-commerce website to cater to a large customer base. Their Solutions Architect has designed a plan to build a distinctive e-commerce platform that includes cutting-edge data analysis to provide a robust recommendation feature and a high-quality user interface with an emphasis on delivering an outstanding customer experience (CX).
If you have a medium-to-large scale organization, there are probably several areas where a technical and business expert could be beneficial. Hence, it might be worth considering hiring a Solutions Architect.
