👩‍🔬Solutions Architecture Function

The Solution Architect is the engineering guru who designs and plans the technical side of products and services.

A role is not a person! Learn more about Function vs. Commitment vs. Person here.

How to Train for the Solutions Architecture Function

Read The Agile Handbook

Read the Service Leadership Handbook

Take the Servant Leadership Masterclass

Take the Agile UX Masterclass

Take the Product Requirements Masterclass

What is it?

Solutions Architecture deals with determining the best way to develop technology based on needs. It requires people to think from a systems standpoint to design technical things to run efficiently and securely.

Solutions Architecture Function in Tech Fleet vs. Other Companies

Who "Wears the Hats" at companies in the Solutions Architecture function? It depends!

Here's a visual breakdown of roles:

A breakdown of how the development and solutions architecture functions work at different companies. Credit: Tech Fleet.

1. There could be one person playing the front-end development function, one person playing the back-end development function, and one person playing the solutions architecture function.

2. There could be one person playing the front-end development function and another one person playing the back-end development function plus solutions architecture function.

3. There could be one person playing all functions: the front-end development function, back-end development function, and solutions architecture function.

In Tech Fleet, solutions architecture function operates separately from the front-end development and back-end development functions.

Daily Responsibilities

Here's a Tech Fleet Figjam template anyone can use showing cross-functional Agile team responsibilities.

The development function typically owns a combination of 2 commitments:

1. Building technical architecture for systems

2. Designing data structures

3. Designing the security of infrastructure

4. Determining the technical requirements for products

What They Own

1. Reviewing development requirements

2. Designing technical architecture

3. Deciding how systems should be built to align with needs and performance

Breakdown of Responsibilities

Here are some RACI charts depicting the daily tasks that a development function is responsible for, and how they work with other teams:

RACI for Development Operations

This is a RACI chart showing the development activities on teams. Credit: Tech Fleet.

You might be a Solutions Architect if

1. You like logic

2. You like systems thinking

3. You like coding

4. You like technical functions

Cross-functional Collaboration

1. With the Client - facilitate requirements discussions; gather insight and feedback about the solutions being delivered

2. With UX Research - drive the priorities of research based on the product roadmap / plans

3. With the Project Management - facilitate meetings and discussions; pair up to work together on deliverables

4. With UX Design - drive the priorities and requirements of UX design based on the product roadmap / plans

5. With Development- drive the priorities of development based on the product roadmap / plans

Role Expectations

• Collaborate with product and UX functions to design the system that’s being built based on project needs

• Collaborate with the product strategy, UX research, and UX design teams to ensure that the user experience is delivered properly based on product requirements

• Design the technical needs for the product in coordination with the product strategy team

• Design the front-end, back-end, and middle layer technologies as needed

• Architect the system with:

  • Infrastructure

  • Architecture

  • Network

  • Code base requirements

Common Deliverables

1. Architecture diagrams

2. Technical requirements

3. Security infrastructure

4. Database infrastructure

5. Web hosting infrastructure