Associate Technical Architect

Summary

An associate technical architect supports technical architects in putting forward designs as solutions to technology challenges, usually under supervision.

At this role level, you will:

work closely with developers when designing appropriate solutions
have an understanding of the overall strategy and how your work supports it

Background

Background Components

Description	Background
Shows evidence of analytical ability and attention to detail. Appreciates the importance of commercial constraints. Has a methodical and systematic approach to work.	Prior Knowledge and Skills

Work Activity Components

Title	Details
Documentation	Documents all work using required standards, methods and tools, including prototyping tools where appropriate.
Design specification	Assists, as part of a team, in the production of outline specifications for software design.
Components design	Supportts the design of components using appropriate modelling techniques following agreed architectures, design standards, patterns and methodology.
Detailed design specification	Supports the production of detailed design specification to form the basis for construction of systems, including for example: physical data flows, class and sequence diagrams, database schemas, file layouts, common routines and utilities, program specifications or prototypes, and backup, recovery and restart procedures – ensuring designs are reviewed, verified and improved against specifications by more senior colleagues.

Knowledge/Skills

Knowledge/Skills Components

Title	Depth	Details	Type
Analytical Thinking		Acquiring a proper understanding of a problem or situation by breaking it down systematically into its component parts and identifying the relationships between these parts. Selecting the appropriate method/tool to resolve the problem and reflecting critically on the result, so that what is learnt is identified and assimilated.	Behavioural Skills
Application Systems	Aware of	Technical or functional understanding of Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) applications and/or other bespoke software deployed within the organisation in order to provide system configuration, audit, technical, and/or functional support.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
Application Development Tools	Aware of	Software tools which automate or assist part of the development process.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
Database Software	Aware of	Software that enables the user to capture, create, populate and manipulate data structures and where appropriate unstructured data.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
Corporate, Industry and Professional Standards	Aware of	Applying standards, practices, codes, and assessment and certification programmes relevant to the IT industry, and the specific organisation or business domain.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
Operational/Service Architecture	Aware of	Knowledge of the IT/IS infrastructure and the IT applications and service processes used within own organisation, including those associated with sustainability and efficiency.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
Structured Reviews	Aware of	Methods and techniques for structured reviews, including reviews of technical work products, test plans, business cases, architectures and any other key deliverables.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
IT Environment	Aware of	The IT environment relating to own sphere of work (own organisation and/or closely associated organisations, such as customers, suppliers, partners), in particular own organisation’s technical platforms and those that interface to them through the specialism, including those in closely related organisations.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
Design Principles	Aware of	Principles and practice of good sustainable, secure, maintainable and efficient system design. Together with standard industry design approaches. Understanding the importance of adhering to design principles during infrastructure development, taking into account all relevant non-functional requirements in order to assure smooth running of the service in live operation.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
Development Approach	Aware of	Understanding and application of different development approaches e.g. iterative/ incremental methodologies (Agile, XP, TDD, SCRUM) or traditional sequential methodologies (Waterfall or V-Model). Irrespective of development methodology a DevOps approach may also be taken where development and operational staff work collaboratively.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
Proof of Concept and Prototyping	Aware of	Performing a proof of concept or prototyping exercise to demonstrate or evaluate the feasibility and potential benefits of applying a particular technological business change in order to meet a business need.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
DevOps	Aware of	The collaborative approach consisting of agile practices, processes, and procedures designed to facilitate rapid IT service and product delivery. DevOps emphasizes people (and culture) and seeks to improve collaboration between development (Dev) and operations (Ops) teams with the aim of shortening the systems development life cycle to provide continuous release of high-quality software.	Technical Knowledge and Skills
Agile	Aware of	A collection of methods, practises, tools and techniques, underpinned by the Agile Manifesto, that enable teams to deliver high value products and services in small, workable, increments. An Agile culture typically encompasses concepts such as Servant-Leaders; ceremonies, Stand-Ups, Sprints and Retrospectives; and the deployment of tools and techniques such as Backlogs and A/B Testing.	Technical Knowledge and Skills

Training Activities

Training Components

Title	Details
Program Design Methods and	Programming or system development methods (e.g. structured program design).
Systems Analysis and Design Tools and Methods	Tools and methods used in systems analysis and design, including a range of both textual and modelling tools used when appropriate to the context.
Systems Development	Systems development, including development life cycles and methods, organisation interfaces, typical corporate application architectures, project and programme management, risk management and change control.
Agile Development	Methods and techniques for evolutionary development of IT applications and service, typically making extensive use of modelling and progressive prototyping, involving the owners and end-users throughout.
Quality Management	Principles and practices of quality systems, models, manuals, procedures and plans. Quality assurance and audit. External quality standards such as TickITplus. Total Quality Management and European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model. Understanding of different definitions of quality in software engineering. Developing KPIs.
Security Awareness	Tools and techniques to help users and employees understand the role they play in helping to combat information security breaches and for IT and security professionals to prevent and mitigate risk.
Operating Systems and Middleware	Vendor specific operating system software that manages computer hardware and resources to provide common services for computer programs and middleware, software that lies between an operating system and the applications running on it, that enables communication and data management for distributed applications.

PDAs

PDA Components

Title	Details
Participation in Group Activities	Participating in group activities inside or outside of the working environment that can assist with the development of interpersonal skills.
Job Shadowing and Special Assignments	Undertaking temporary periods or secondments in other roles, inside or outside IT, particularly those that offer a new perspective on own function or exposure to other environments and cultures.
Gaining Knowledge of Employing Organisation	Gaining basic knowledge of the employing organisation, its business, structure, culture, policies, products/services, operations and terminology.
Gaining Knowledge of Surrounding Technical Areas	Gaining knowledge of IT activities in employing organisation external to own function.
Involvement in Professional Body Activities	Attending meetings, seminars and workshops organised by professional body and reading published material, such as journals and web content.
Time Management	Undertaking learning and practice in the planning and organising of own activities.
Team Working	Undertaking learning and practice in the techniques of team and collaborative working. Gaining an understanding of the underlying concepts.
Communications	Undertaking learning and practice in oral and written communications, including report writing and presentation.

Qualifications

Qualification Components

Title	Awarding Body
BCS Foundation Certificate in Systems Development	BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT
FEDIP Associate Practitioner	FEDIP

Organisation Skills

Framework » Organisation Category » Subcategory	Skill Name and Description	Level
DDaT » Architecture	Architecture – Communicating between the technical and non-technical (technical architect) You can translate technical concepts relating to software engineering, delivery management and service management so they are understood by all.	2 – Working You can speak on behalf of technical teams and facilitate relationships with indirect stakeholders.
DDaT » Architecture	Architecture – Governance and assurance You can understand technical governance. You can participate in or deliver the assurance of a service	1 – Awareness You can understand technical governance. You can participate in the assurance of a service.
DDaT » Architecture	Architecture – Making and guiding decision You can make and guide effective decisions, explaining clearly how the decision has been reached. You can understand and resolve technical disputes across varying levels of complexity and risk.	1 – Awareness You can recommend decisions and describe the reasoning behind them. You can identify and articulate technical disputes between direct peers and local
DDaT » Architecture	Architecture – Strategy You can produce a strategy for technology that meets business needs. You can create, refine and challenge patterns, standards, policies, roadmaps and vision statements. For this skill, senior roles tend to be more proactive as they set the strategy, whereas junior roles tend to be more reactive, responding to the strategy.	1 – Awareness You can describe the purpose and application of strategy, standards, patterns, policies, roadmaps and vision statements.
DDaT » Architecture	Architecture – Turning business problems into technical design You can work with business and technology stakeholders to translate business problems into technical designs. You can create optimal designs through iterative processes, aligning the system requirements and organisational objectives with the user needs.	2 – Working You can design systems characterised by managed levels of risk, manageable business and technical complexity, and meaningful impact. You can work with well- understood technology and identify appropriate patterns.
DDaT » Architecture	Architecture – Understanding the whole context You can look beyond the immediate technical problem and identify the wider implications. You can demonstrate knowledge of the relevant historical context and future impact. You can understand how current work fits in broader contexts and strategies. You can identify deeper underlying problems and opportunities.	1 – Awareness You can understand how your work supports the team. You can identify wider influences and how they apply. You can keep an open mind and understand the broader context.

Framework » Organisation
Category » Subcategory

Skill Name and Description

Level

DDaT » Architecture

Architecture – Communicating between the technical and non-technical (technical architect)

You can translate technical concepts relating to software engineering, delivery management and service management so they are understood by all.

2 – Working

You can speak on behalf of technical teams and facilitate relationships with indirect stakeholders.

DDaT » Architecture

Architecture – Governance and assurance

You can understand technical governance. You can participate in or deliver the assurance of a service

1 – Awareness

You can understand technical governance. You can participate in the assurance of a service.

DDaT » Architecture

Architecture – Making and guiding decision

You can make and guide effective decisions, explaining clearly how the decision has been reached. You can understand and resolve technical disputes across varying levels of complexity and risk.

1 – Awareness

You can recommend decisions and describe the reasoning behind them. You can identify and articulate technical disputes between direct peers and local

DDaT » Architecture

Architecture – Strategy

You can produce a strategy for technology that meets business needs. You can create, refine and challenge patterns, standards, policies, roadmaps and vision statements. For this skill, senior roles tend to be more proactive as they set the strategy, whereas junior roles tend to be more reactive, responding to the strategy.

1 – Awareness

You can describe the purpose and application of strategy, standards, patterns, policies, roadmaps and vision statements.

DDaT » Architecture

Architecture – Turning business problems into technical design

You can work with business and technology stakeholders to translate business problems into technical designs. You can create optimal designs through iterative processes, aligning the system requirements and organisational objectives with the user needs.

2 – Working

You can design systems characterised by managed levels of risk, manageable business and technical complexity, and meaningful impact. You can work with well- understood technology and identify appropriate patterns.

DDaT » Architecture

Architecture – Understanding the whole context

You can look beyond the immediate technical problem and identify the wider implications. You can demonstrate knowledge of the relevant historical context and future impact. You can understand how current work fits in broader contexts and strategies. You can identify deeper underlying problems and opportunities.

1 – Awareness

You can understand how your work supports the team. You can identify wider influences and how they apply. You can keep an open mind and understand the broader context.

This job role profile was created in collaboration with BCS, using Role Model Plus. BCS is the professional body that has the responsibility of updating this job family.

Summary

Background

Background Components

Work Activity Components

Knowledge/Skills

Knowledge/Skills Components

Training Activities

Training Components

PDAs

PDA Components

Qualifications

Qualification Components

Organisation Skills

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