SFIA Skills: Solution architecture (ARCH)

Establishes policy and strategy for the selection of data architecture components and takes responsibility for the strategy and methods used in implementing a data architecture in a significant area of the organisation. Manages the organisation’s data strategies, policies, standards and practices, ensures that they are applied correctly, and promotes consistency.

Leads development of data architectures for complex solutions, ensuring consistency with specified requirements agreed with both external and internal customers. Takes full responsibility for ensuring that data architectures balance functional and non-functional (e.g. service quality and systems management) requirements within a significant area of the organisation.

Manages or co-ordinates the applicable architecture function within an organisation.

Takes responsibility for the technical integrity of designs, ensuring for example that reusable elements are recognised, and that work is not unnecessarily duplicated. Ensures that all changes are managed effectively and contributes to formal reviews and evaluations when projects and programmes end.

Within a business change programme, manages the programme’s target design, policies and standards, working proactively to achieve stable, viable designs, and ensuring consistency of design across projects within the programme. Defines the migration path from current mode of operation to the future mode.

Monitors technical progress, informing project management of major technical issues and making recommendations on their resolution. Advises on the impact of technical exceptions (including requests for changes, deviations from specifications, etc), and ensures that there is proper technical assessment of all exceptions. Informs project management of major technical issues and makes recommendations on their resolution.

Advises on appropriate technical assurance criteria, and the conduct of quality reviews of technical products. Ensures change control is applied to specifications and designs. Ensures the adequacy and effective use of quality control procedures in relation to solution architecture components.

Within a business change programme, leads the preparation of technical plans and in liaison with business assurance and project staff, ensures that appropriate technical resources are made available.

Supports a change programme or project through the preparation of technical plans and application of design principles that comply with enterprise and solution architecture standards (including security).

Participates in quality reviews (e.g. fitness for purpose, quality attributes, non-functional requirements, risk) of solution architecture components.