The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

Solution architecture ARCH

Developing and communicating a multi-dimensional solution architecture to deliver agreed business outcomes.

Revision notes

Updates for SFIA 9

  • Theme(s) influencing the updates for this skill: Support for cyber security working practices (both specialised and general).
  • You can move to SFIA 9 when you are ready - SFIA 8 skill descriptions will still be available to use.
  • Previous SFIA assessments or skills mapping are not impacted by this change.

Guidance notes

Activities may include, but are not limited to:

  • defining the planned operation and maintenance of the solution within a production environment, including changes to services, processes, organisation and operating models as well as technology 
  • ensuring existing and planned solution components are compatible with relevant architectures, strategies, policies, standards and practices 
  • considering requirements for security, privacy and testing of solutions
  • taking account of relevant architectures, strategies, policies, standards and practices 
  • identifying appropriate cloud services, evaluating their cost implications and optimising for cost-efficiency
  • developing roadmaps to migrate components to cloud services
  • developing and communicating an implementation roadmap 
  • providing guidance and risk-based governance to support solution implementation including managing requests for changes and deviations from specifications.

Understanding the responsibility levels of this skill

Where lower levels are not defined...
  • Specific tasks and responsibilities are not defined because the skill requires a higher level of autonomy, influence, and complexity in decision-making than is typically expected at these levels. You can use the essence statements to understand the generic responsibilities associated with these levels.
Where higher levels are not defined...
  • Responsibilities and accountabilities are not defined because these higher levels involve strategic leadership and broader organisational influence that goes beyond the scope of this specific skill. See the essence statements.

Developing skills and demonstrating responsibilities related to this skill

The defined levels show the incremental progression in skills and responsibilities.

Where lower levels are not defined...

You can develop your knowledge and support others who do have responsibility in this area by:

  • Learning key concepts and principles related to this skill and its impact on your role
  • Performing related skills (see the related SFIA skills)
  • Supporting others who are performing higher level tasks and activities
Where higher levels are not defined...
  • You can progress by developing related skills which are better suited to higher levels of organisational leadership.

Show/hide extra descriptions and levels.

Levels of responsibility for this skill

4 5 6

Solution architecture: Level 4

Level 4 - Enable: Essence of the level: Performs diverse complex activities, supports and guides others, delegates tasks when appropriate, works autonomously under general direction, and contributes expertise to deliver team objectives.

Contributes to the development of solution architectures in specific business, infrastructure or functional areas.

Identifies and evaluates alternative architectures and the trade-offs in cost, performance and scalability. Determines and documents architecturally significant decisions.

Produces specifications of cloud-based or on-premises components, tiers and interfaces, for translation into detailed designs using selected services and products.

Supports projects or change initiatives through the preparation of technical plans and application of design principles. Aligns solutions with enterprise and solution architecture standards (including security).

Solution architecture: Level 5

Level 5 - Ensure, advise: Essence of the level: Provides authoritative guidance in their field and works under broad direction. Accountable for delivering significant work outcomes, from analysis through execution to evaluation.

Leads the development of solution architectures in specific business, infrastructure or functional areas.

Leads the preparation of technical plans and ensures appropriate technical resources are made available. Ensures appropriate tools and methods are available, understood and employed in architecture development.

Provides technical guidance and governance on solution development and integration. Evaluates requests for changes and deviations from specifications and recommends actions.

Ensures relevant technical strategies, policies, standards and practices (including security and cost management) are applied correctly.

Solution architecture: Level 6

Level 6 - Initiate, influence: Essence of the level: Has significant organisational influence, makes high-level decisions, shapes policies, demonstrates leadership, promotes organisational collaboration, and accepts accountability in key areas.

Leads the development of architectures for complex solutions ensuring consistency with agreed requirements.

Establishes policies, principles and practices for the selection of solution architecture components.

Manages trade-offs and balances functional, service quality, cost efficiency and systems management requirements within a significant area of the organisation. Communicates proposed decisions to stakeholders.

Coordinates and manages the target architecture across multiple projects or initiatives. Maintains a stable, viable architecture and ensures consistency of design and adherence to appropriate standards across multiple projects or initiatives.

Keywords
Small change