There has been a lot of discussion about the use of teh term "architect" in IT - there is a feeling that a number (more than one) of "architect" skills can be isolated and defined. Work is currently in progress with the intention of documenting three of these - "Enterprise Architect", "Solutions (or Applications) Architect", and "Systems Architect". Further opinion is invited.

In our organisation we have identified a set of related skills and grouped them under a "Architecture & Design" category.
We then have a number of possible architecture roles, but we believe that architect roles are a separate construct from skills and competencies.

The architect roles that we have are inspired by the OpenGroup/TOGAF approach, and are
- Enterprise Architect
- Solution Architect
- Business or Functional Architect
- Information or Data Architect
- Technical Architect
- Integration Architect

The set of skills include:
- Technology understanding
->Application & Development Frameworks
->Integration
->Data
->Infrastructure
- Business understanding
- Modelling Techniques and Tools
- Soft and People Skills
-> Communication and Influence
-> Facilitation
-> Leadership

In the absence of other comments on this topic, I'm posting a document which was kindly submitted by David Martyn, who acknowledges Chris Wilson and Ian Turton for their extensive contributions. This document lays out a straw man for definition of architecture skills. Please review it and add your comments or changes It assumes enterprise architect as the overarching role and two supporting roles: solutions or applications architect and systems architect.


Enterprise Architect

Translates business vision and strategy into effective enterprise change by creating, communicating and improving the key principles and models that describe the enterprise's future state and enable its evolution. The scope of the enterprise architecture includes the people, processes, information and technology of the enterprise, and their relationships to one another and to the external environment. The focus is on defining the relationships, flows and implementation of business (processes/activities/functions, information), applications, data and technology in the enterprise and the transitional process necessary for implementing technology in response to changing business needs.

Enabled by primary skill:

Strategic application of information systems (STPL) [modified]

The development or review of an information systems capability strategy to support an organisation’s business goals and the development of plans to drive forward and manage the application of that strategy. Working with others to embed the strategic management of information systems as part of the management of the organisation.

Level 5 Contributes to the creation or review of an information systems capability strategy which meets the strategic requirements of the business. Develops plans to drive forward the strategy, taking advantage of available technology enterprise transformational opportunities. Takes responsibility for investigative work to determine requirements and specify effective business processes, through improvements in information systems, data management, practices, procedures, organisation and equipment.

Level 6 Leads the creation or review of an information systems capability strategy which meets the strategic requirements of the business. Identifies the business benefits of alternative strategies. Develops enterprise-wide information architecture and processes which ensure that the strategic application of technology is embedded in the management of the organisation. Establishes the contribution that technology can make to business objectives, conducting feasibility studies, producing high-level business models, preparing business cases, taking into account as necessary any implications of systems considered. Ensures compliance between business strategies and enterprise transformational activities technology directions.

Level 7 Directs the creation or review of an information systems capability strategy to support the strategic requirements of the business. Identifies the business benefits of alternative strategies. Directs development of enterprise-wide information architecture and processes which ensure that the strategic application of technology is embedded in the management of the organisation. Ensures compliance between business strategies and enterprise transformational activities technology directions.

Solutions or Applications Architect

The design of architectural solutions required to automate business processes and resolve business issues in a particular business or functional area. The provision of direction and guidance on all technical aspects of the development of, and modifications to, information systems to ensure that they take account of relevant architectures, strategies, policies, standards and practices and that existing and planned systems and IT infrastructure remain compatible.

Enabled by primary skill:

Systems architecture (ARCH) [modified]

Level 5 Uses appropriate tools, including logical models of components and interfaces, to contribute to the development of systems architectures in their particular business or functional area. Produces detailed component specifications and translates these into detailed designs for implementation using selected products. Within a business change programme, assists in the preparation of technical plans and cooperates with business assurance and project staff to ensure that appropriate technical resources are made available. Provides advice on technical aspects of system development and integration (including requests for changes, deviations from specifications, etc.) and ensures that relevant technical strategies, policies, standards and practices are applied correctly.

Level 6 Leads development of architectures for complex systems in their particular business or functional area, ensuring consistency with specified requirements agreed with both external and internal customers. Takes full responsibility for the balance between functional, service quality and systems management requirements within a significant area of the business. Establishes policy and strategy for the selection of systems architecture components and coordinates design activities, promoting the discipline to ensure consistency. Ensures that appropriate standards (corporate, industry, national and international) are adhered to. Within a business change programme, manages the target design, policies and standards, working proactively to maintain a stable, viable architecture and ensure consistency of design across projects within the programme.

Systems Architect

The specification of systems architectures, identifying the components needed to meet the present and future requirements, both functional and non-functional (such as security) of the business as a whole, and the interrelationships between these components. The provision of direction and guidance on all technical aspects of the development of, and modifications to, information systems to ensure that they take account of relevant architectures, strategies, policies, standards and practices and that existing and planned systems and IT infrastructure remain compatible.

Enabled by primary skill:

Systems architecture (ARCH) [modified]

Level 5 Uses appropriate tools, including logical models of components and interfaces, to contribute to the development of systems architectures. Produces detailed component specifications and translates these into detailed designs for implementation using selected products. Within a business change programme, assists in the preparation of technical plans and cooperates with business assurance and project staff to ensure that appropriate technical resources are made available. Provides advice on technical aspects of system development and integration (including requests for changes, deviations from specifications, etc.) and ensures that relevant technical strategies, policies, standards and practices are applied correctly.

Level 6 Leads development of architectures for complex systems, ensuring consistency with specified requirements agreed with both external and internal customers. Takes full responsibility for the balance between functional, service quality and systems management requirements within a significant area of the business. Establishes policy and strategy for the selection of systems architecture components and coordinates design activities, promoting the discipline to ensure consistency. Ensures that appropriate standards (corporate, industry, national and international) are adhered to. Within a business change programme, manages the target design, policies and standards, working proactively to maintain a stable, viable architecture and ensure consistency of design across projects within the programme.

I would be interested to better understand which are the key differentiating characteristics between Solutions Architect and Systems Architect in the description above.

I would argue that they are sufficiently similar, and therefore two different roles supported exactly by the same primary skills are probably not justified.

I believe there are more substantial differences between business/functional architects, information/data and technical archiects, and the set of skills required for these three types of roles are substantially different.

The two roles Solutions Architect and Systems Architect in the paper above were separated so that any difference / commonality at the skill level could be observed. As vmarchese rightly observes the skills appear to be very similar and therefore it will be an organisational preference as to the value of using one or two role descriptions.

Having re-read the paper I'd like to propose a modified version of the enterprise architect role recognising particularly the non-IT focus of this role:

Enterprise Architect

Translates business vision and strategy into effective enterprise change by creating, communicating and improving the key principles and models that describe the enterprise's future state and enable its evolution. The scope of the enterprise architecture includes the people, processes, information and technology of the enterprise, and their relationships to one another and to the external environment. The focus is on defining the relationships, flows and implementation of business (processes/activities/functions, information), applications, data and technology in the enterprise and the transitional process necessary for implementing technology in response to changing business needs.

Enabled by primary skill:

Strategic application of information systems (STPL) [modified]

The review of an enterprise capability strategy to support an organisation’s business goals and the development of models and plans to drive forward and manage the application of that strategy. Working with others to embed the strategic management of change as part of the management of the organisation.

Level 5 Contributes to the review of an enterprise capability strategy which meets the strategic requirements of the business. Develops models and plans to drive forward the strategy, taking advantage of available enterprise transformational opportunities. Takes responsibility for investigative work to determine requirements and specify effective business processes, through improvements in information systems, data management, practices, procedures, organisation and equipment.

Level 6 Leads the review of an enterprise capability strategy which meets the strategic requirements of the business. Identifies the business benefits of alternative strategies. Develops enterprise-wide architecture and processes which ensure that the strategic application of change is embedded in the management of the organisation. Establishes the contribution that technology can make to business objectives, conducting feasibility studies, producing high-level business models, preparing business cases, taking into account as necessary any implications of systems considered. Ensures compliance between business strategies and enterprise transformational activities technology directions (i.e. setting the strategies, policies, standards and practices that the other architect roles comply with).

Level 7 Directs the review of an enterprise capability strategy to support the strategic requirements of the business. Identifies the business benefits of alternative strategies. Directs development of enterprise-wide architecture and processes which ensure that the strategic application of change is embedded in the management of the organisation. Ensures compliance between business strategies and enterprise transformational activities technology directions (i.e. setting the strategies, policies, standards and practices that the other architect roles comply with).

There is a view that Enterprise Architecture is closer to strategy and planning than the Technical Systems Architecture side of Architecture. Do we need to consider putting it ina different category to the Technical Architects?

There are architectural issues for information structures (for both structured and unstructured information). Given the three-way split proposed these are best seen as aspects of Enterprise Architecture. The equivalent at Solutions level is covered by the Information Analysis skill (DTAN).

ITIL V3 describes architecture types with Service Design and previously in V2 within ICTIM as consisting of Enterprise Architecture, Security Architecture, Service Architecture, Data/Information Architecture etc and that there are at least 4 distinct Architect roles - Enterprise Architect (usually senior), Business/Organisation Architect, Service Architect and IT Infrastructure Architect.

But the main question is what skills make an architect rather than a design engineer or business analyst and so on?

solutions architecture is distinct from enterprise architecture as it has a more business flavour and so it should reside either within business/is strategy or business change