Alphabet Soup of IT Architects
One of the things that always intrigued me is how many titles were and are created for the architecture roles (in some cases different titles for the same role).
IT Architect, Software Architect, Cloud Architect, Digital Architect, System Architect, Enterprise Architect, Solution Architect, DevOps Architect, Business Architect, Process Architect, Big Data Architect, Information Architect, Integration Architect, Security Architect, Technical Architect, Java Architect, Phyton Architect… With so many titles, a real alphabet soup of IT architects was created.
Some titles were created to follow the latest technology trends and “buzzwords” (Cloud, Digital, DevOps, etc.), and to indicate the specialization of an architect (Java, Phyton, Security, Integration, etc.) but sometimes these titles complicate instead of clarifying what IT architects do and what is the scope, responsibility and necessary skills of each role.
How can we clarify this alphabet soup? The IASA (International Association of Software Architects) in the latest version of its ITABoK (Information Technology Architecture Body of Knowledge) summarizes all the titles we can find today for an IT architect in 6 architecture roles and details its “job descriptions”.
Let’s take a look to know a little bit better each role job description, its implications and other “alphabet’s soup” common names 😊.
Accordingly to IASA, the Business Architect:
“…provides a leadership of business initiatives through technology strategy… provide innovation and opportunity recognition within the business units…” and “…has developed their understanding of business valuation, business process, and business strategy delivery…”.
Sometimes the business architect role is compared with the business/process analyst role, but I believe this role goes beyond this (as goes beyond just mapping a value stream and business capabilities). The business architect must add value to the business, helping to identify new opportunities and innovation possibilities that can maximize business strategy and goals.
Regarding the Information Architect, IASA defines that:
“… work to ensure that information is used to the best advantage of their organization…” and “…directs the use, integration, and storage of information…”.
This role can be also known as “Data Architect”. Many people related Information Architecture directly with UX design. For this reason, I prefer the Data Architect “title” — yes, for me there are some names in the alphabet soup that “taste better” — but I understand that IASA in its job description puts both roles “together in one” to address both scopes, that is, to address not only data capturing, gathering, processing, storage, and retrieval; but how the information that results out of this will be managed and used.
IASA defines in its Infrastructure Architect’s job description that:
“… works regularly with business, information and software architects to ensure the overall health of the organizations’ infrastructure and to optimize technology strategy delivery.”
This role can be also known in some cases as “Technical Architect” — it may be considered one of its specializations — or “System Architect”. In a world that Cloud and DevOps are no longer trends (in the Digital context we live they are a business differential), this role must seek constantly to optimize technologic assets management and its delivery.
About the Software Architect, IASA’s job description defines that:
“…has mastered the value, use, development and delivery of software intensive systems. They have developed skills in software development lifecycles, software engineering, and software design…”.
This role can be also known as “Technical Architect”, or one of its specializations (“Java Architect, Phyton, etc.”). While IASA’s job description of the role focuses on software design, there are differences between software design and software architecture — this very good CodeBurst article explains it.
A software architect must know software design concepts (design patterns) but also and more importantly software architecture concepts (architecture patterns) to define software components, their reusability and to improve its delivery process.
Regarding the Solution Architect, IASA’s job description specifies that:
“is responsible for delivery on one or more projects within the scope of the business case for the solution… to optimize the value of a solution to an organization … ensuring the solution meets all compliance and regulatory which impact the system…”.
Sometimes, the confusion surrounding the role of solution architect is not about its “title name”, but to the level of depth at which the role must act.
This role is responsible to define architectural solutions for specific needs (projects), not having the strategic organizational focus of an Enterprise Architect and the technology focus of a Technical Architect (Software or Infrastructure).
Of all the articles you can find online that analyze the difference between architecture roles, one that I found that clarifies perfectly the role of Solution Architect is this one from LeanIX, which explains:
“Where technical architects are specialists, solution architects are appointed to oversee diversified projects at the firm. They are responsible for ensuring the technical integrity and consistency of each solution at a certain stage of their lifecycle. Solution architects spend most of their time coordinating ongoing activities from concept definition to analysis and implementation of requirements, and then transferring the project to IT operations. A solution architect must have a breadth of knowledge to effectively contribute to all initiatives — especially because their projects typically involve significant technological risks.”
Finally, we have the Enterprise Architect role. IASA defines that this role:
“has been a practicing professional architect within one of the specializations prior to moving into the enterprise architecture practice… has learned enough of the specializations to lead the architecture teams within an organization … have melded appropriate business and industry understanding to superior skills in technology… they participate as equals in the business strategy development space making technology a fundamental investment tool to meet the organizations objectives”.
Of all the roles this one requires a strong set of skills and knowledge and more importantly a different mindset. This role has a strategic focus on architecture as a whole to align IT and Business to achieve business goals.
There are architecture frameworks that support the Enterprise Architect (such as TOGAF and Zachman), however, one of the main challenges of this role is to gain organizational support to implement the Enterprise Architecture practice (without this role just won’t be able to do its work).
Hope this helps to clarify the alphabet soup. Let me know your view about this (feedback is always welcome).
References:
https://itabok.iasaglobal.org/itabok3_0/job-description/
https://www.iasa.se/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/TAJ15.pdf
https://www.leanix.net/en/blog/enterprise-architect-vs-solution-architect-whats-the-difference
