Big guide to the profession of decision architect (+ list of useful links)
Even 10 years ago, the role of solution architect (Solution Architect) on projects was performed by the developers themselves. Now it is a separate profession, rather demanded and actively discussed. Together with fellow architects, we thoroughly understand all the details and tell you how to become an architect in EPAM.
This is a product or a set of products that solves a specific technical or business problem. The solution a business needs to increase profits: it either raises revenues or lowers costs — for example, automates business processes and thereby reduces labor costs. The solution is embedded in the enterprise architecture and is associated with its other components. Most EPAM projects are aimed at creating solutions: developing from start to finish or individual components.
Yes. The architect is responsible for the vision of the future system. He comes up with how to build a solution so that it works efficiently and meets the needs of the customer.
The role of the decision architect on the projects was played by the entire team, several of its members, or one highly qualified developer. He could be immediately both a developer and a project manager, as well as an architect. Over time (and experience) it came to the understanding that the creation of architecture is too important and voluminous task to do it on a residual basis.
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Unlike a developer, an architect thinks with higher-level abstractions. He does not reflect on the interaction of classes, but on the interaction of the components of the solution - applications, web services, and so on. Although, if required, it should “fail” in the details of the code without any problems. In addition, the business side of the solution for the architect is as important as the technical. Developers often focus on technology and new libraries that they want to meet; the architect is repelled by the interests and needs of the customer.
Architecture and development are different and equal directions of a career path. The architect thinks more abstractly, but at the same time touches the code less often. In addition, it does not always think through every detail. Often the development team implements the architectural concept independently. And to qualitatively implement a design solution is as important as coming up with this design.
First of all, the architect analyzes the business goals of the customer related to the new product. It focuses on the requirements that affect the architecture, the software part of the solution and its components. Then he designs the solution and thinks about his design . The architect determines which components the product will consist of, whether it is necessary to develop its components from scratch or whether it will be more appropriate to use ready-made components out of the box.
For some parts of the solution, SA makes a proof-of-concept - a small experimental research task in order to understand whether it is possible to implement this or that functionality.
Architects participate in pre-sales, advise clients, conduct an audit of the architecture of an existing solution — evaluate how effective it is for the tasks at hand, whether it can be optimized, and if so, how.
In EPAM, for example, architects have the opportunity to frequently change projects, which allows them to work in different areas and fields, to communicate directly with people directly involved in the main business and technological processes in the company.
In addition to solution architects, these are:
Enterprise Architect - creates and maintains the whole enterprise architecture, which consists of a variety of solutions.
System Architect - builds the infrastructure side of the solution, focusing on the infrastructure cloud services, on the software needed to support the solution after its deployment.
Quality Architect - build a testing strategy and determine the approach to managing the quality of the created product.
In EPAM, for example, solution architects are still in the majority.
As a rule, leading architects grow into solution architects. The candidate should have a solid baggage of technical knowledge, broad outlook, as well as experience in managing the team and project. Leadership and excellent communication skills are the masters of the architect, who often becomes the link between the customer’s team and the company. One side expects the architect to come, understand the state of affairs, explain everything and help with the decision. The project team, in turn, expects SA to decide what to do and how, and in what sequence.
In addition to developers, business analysts, distribution managers, project managers, resource managers, as well as automation testers can try themselves in solutions architecture: there is even a special subdiscipline for them - Solution architecture in Test Automation.
It is worth noting that the expectations of such a specialist from the company and colleagues are really serious. If a mistake in the development of a separate component can be corrected, then the wrong decision and bad architecture can turn into huge losses for both parties.
Since Solution Architect, as a separate position, appeared on the market relatively recently, its understanding is different in different companies. EPAM has created a competence center for architecture, whose team forms a unified view of this role, based on the experience of working with clients, their business objectives and expectations, best practices, internal processes and systems.
The program developed by practicing architects and STOO companies is constantly updated. On the one hand, it takes into account the individual experience of the employee, and on the other, allows you to choose the educational module custom.
For starters, you can join the Architecture Excellence Initiative , the global architectural community of EPAM, to keep up with the latest architecture news and trends. Community members communicate weekly with architects from more than 25 countries. Operational exchange of cases, access to an extensive library and webinars, collected by colleagues - this is here.
Next is training at Solution Architecture School . This is a unique program that the company created from scratch: group classes with lectures and practice are conducted by the company's operating architects. Here, everything is like in a regular school - homework, including the development of design, constant communication with teachers and the protection of the control final work.
Solution architects who come to the company can go through the Solution Architecture Basics program : this is a kind of architectural assistant, which includes basic topics, information about professional and career development opportunities, useful contacts and infrastructure guides. All that will help to quickly adapt to the company.
Architects will be welcome in the Global Solution Architecture Team - a team of experts who are actively involved in the development of the discipline: develop best practices in the company, coordinate global educational programs for architects, advise colleagues and clients.
Well, if you do not want to stop there, you can become a student at Solution Architecture University - a three-tier program that helps experienced architects synchronize knowledge and speak in a single language. Students have the opportunity to be certified by the Software Engineering Institute , IASA Global, and other associations with which EPAM collaborates.
Another initiative - Solution Architecture Mentoring - in which experienced architects, technical directors and CTO companies act as mentors. Menti are involved in negotiations with clients, together with mentors working on real projects and tasks. The program helps architects to “improve” their profession and even grow to the level of CTO.
Read about EPAM solution architects:
Interview with CTO EPAM Eli Feldman
Lead Solution Architect Dmitry Gursky about the levels of architecture in EPAM for dev.by
5 myths about the work of the decision architect. Opinion Andrei Trubitsyn
Books on the topic “Solution Architecture”:
Software Architecture in Practice (3rd Edition)
Designing Software Architectures: A Practical Approach (SEI Series in Software Engineering) 1st Edition
Software Systems Architecture: Working With Stakeholders Using Viewpoints and Perspective
DevOps: A Software Architect's Perspective (SEI Series in Software Engineering)
Implementing Domain-Driven Design
Video:
The Hard Way to Architects from Front-enders
Authentic Reality: Creating Experiences for Today's Customers
Blocking and Tackling: The Real Nuts and Bolts of Blockchain
Production Foundation Platform is a Bit More that a Data Lake
Happiness as a Service with Cloud Foundry and OpenShift
Let's start with the basics: what does the word “solution” mean in the IT context?
This is a product or a set of products that solves a specific technical or business problem. The solution a business needs to increase profits: it either raises revenues or lowers costs — for example, automates business processes and thereby reduces labor costs. The solution is embedded in the enterprise architecture and is associated with its other components. Most EPAM projects are aimed at creating solutions: developing from start to finish or individual components.
So every architect project needs an architect?
Yes. The architect is responsible for the vision of the future system. He comes up with how to build a solution so that it works efficiently and meets the needs of the customer.
Alexey Kozhemyakin (Director, Technology Solutions, EPAM Belarus):
“As soon as the engineer thought about the needs of the business, he stepped onto the path of Solution Architect.”
Why did they manage without architects before?
The role of the decision architect on the projects was played by the entire team, several of its members, or one highly qualified developer. He could be immediately both a developer and a project manager, as well as an architect. Over time (and experience) it came to the understanding that the creation of architecture is too important and voluminous task to do it on a residual basis.
')
Unlike a developer, an architect thinks with higher-level abstractions. He does not reflect on the interaction of classes, but on the interaction of the components of the solution - applications, web services, and so on. Although, if required, it should “fail” in the details of the code without any problems. In addition, the business side of the solution for the architect is as important as the technical. Developers often focus on technology and new libraries that they want to meet; the architect is repelled by the interests and needs of the customer.
So who is more important: an architect or a developer?
Architecture and development are different and equal directions of a career path. The architect thinks more abstractly, but at the same time touches the code less often. In addition, it does not always think through every detail. Often the development team implements the architectural concept independently. And to qualitatively implement a design solution is as important as coming up with this design.
More specifically: what are the tasks of the decision architect?
First of all, the architect analyzes the business goals of the customer related to the new product. It focuses on the requirements that affect the architecture, the software part of the solution and its components. Then he designs the solution and thinks about his design . The architect determines which components the product will consist of, whether it is necessary to develop its components from scratch or whether it will be more appropriate to use ready-made components out of the box.
For some parts of the solution, SA makes a proof-of-concept - a small experimental research task in order to understand whether it is possible to implement this or that functionality.
Architects participate in pre-sales, advise clients, conduct an audit of the architecture of an existing solution — evaluate how effective it is for the tasks at hand, whether it can be optimized, and if so, how.
In EPAM, for example, architects have the opportunity to frequently change projects, which allows them to work in different areas and fields, to communicate directly with people directly involved in the main business and technological processes in the company.
Vladimir Kazakevich (Senior Solution Architect, EPAM Belarus):
“Everyone understands the word“ business ”in their own way. And the task of the solution architect is to penetrate the customer’s business as deeply as possible, and most importantly, the result of his work must be solutions “tailored” for specific customers and their specific business problems. ”
Are there any other architects?
In addition to solution architects, these are:
Enterprise Architect - creates and maintains the whole enterprise architecture, which consists of a variety of solutions.
System Architect - builds the infrastructure side of the solution, focusing on the infrastructure cloud services, on the software needed to support the solution after its deployment.
Quality Architect - build a testing strategy and determine the approach to managing the quality of the created product.
In EPAM, for example, solution architects are still in the majority.
Who can be a solution architect?
As a rule, leading architects grow into solution architects. The candidate should have a solid baggage of technical knowledge, broad outlook, as well as experience in managing the team and project. Leadership and excellent communication skills are the masters of the architect, who often becomes the link between the customer’s team and the company. One side expects the architect to come, understand the state of affairs, explain everything and help with the decision. The project team, in turn, expects SA to decide what to do and how, and in what sequence.
Roman Shramkov (Director, Technology Solutions, EPAM Ukraine):
“In order for business and management to see the possibilities for applying technologies, we need a real geek who will explain to them what advantages and how to do it.”
In addition to developers, business analysts, distribution managers, project managers, resource managers, as well as automation testers can try themselves in solutions architecture: there is even a special subdiscipline for them - Solution architecture in Test Automation.
It is worth noting that the expectations of such a specialist from the company and colleagues are really serious. If a mistake in the development of a separate component can be corrected, then the wrong decision and bad architecture can turn into huge losses for both parties.
Dmitry Gursky (Lead Solution Architect, EPAM Belarus):
“One who wants to become an architect must first of all have a desire to create, build, something. And this is not a skill that can be pumped, it is an internal need - either it is or not. ”
What educational programs for future architects are there in EPAM?
Since Solution Architect, as a separate position, appeared on the market relatively recently, its understanding is different in different companies. EPAM has created a competence center for architecture, whose team forms a unified view of this role, based on the experience of working with clients, their business objectives and expectations, best practices, internal processes and systems.
The program developed by practicing architects and STOO companies is constantly updated. On the one hand, it takes into account the individual experience of the employee, and on the other, allows you to choose the educational module custom.
For starters, you can join the Architecture Excellence Initiative , the global architectural community of EPAM, to keep up with the latest architecture news and trends. Community members communicate weekly with architects from more than 25 countries. Operational exchange of cases, access to an extensive library and webinars, collected by colleagues - this is here.
Next is training at Solution Architecture School . This is a unique program that the company created from scratch: group classes with lectures and practice are conducted by the company's operating architects. Here, everything is like in a regular school - homework, including the development of design, constant communication with teachers and the protection of the control final work.
What if I came to EPAM as an architect?
Solution architects who come to the company can go through the Solution Architecture Basics program : this is a kind of architectural assistant, which includes basic topics, information about professional and career development opportunities, useful contacts and infrastructure guides. All that will help to quickly adapt to the company.
Architects will be welcome in the Global Solution Architecture Team - a team of experts who are actively involved in the development of the discipline: develop best practices in the company, coordinate global educational programs for architects, advise colleagues and clients.
Well, if you do not want to stop there, you can become a student at Solution Architecture University - a three-tier program that helps experienced architects synchronize knowledge and speak in a single language. Students have the opportunity to be certified by the Software Engineering Institute , IASA Global, and other associations with which EPAM collaborates.
Another initiative - Solution Architecture Mentoring - in which experienced architects, technical directors and CTO companies act as mentors. Menti are involved in negotiations with clients, together with mentors working on real projects and tasks. The program helps architects to “improve” their profession and even grow to the level of CTO.
Useful links for current and future architects:
Read about EPAM solution architects:
Interview with CTO EPAM Eli Feldman
Lead Solution Architect Dmitry Gursky about the levels of architecture in EPAM for dev.by
5 myths about the work of the decision architect. Opinion Andrei Trubitsyn
Books on the topic “Solution Architecture”:
Software Architecture in Practice (3rd Edition)
Designing Software Architectures: A Practical Approach (SEI Series in Software Engineering) 1st Edition
Software Systems Architecture: Working With Stakeholders Using Viewpoints and Perspective
DevOps: A Software Architect's Perspective (SEI Series in Software Engineering)
Implementing Domain-Driven Design
Video:
The Hard Way to Architects from Front-enders
Authentic Reality: Creating Experiences for Today's Customers
Blocking and Tackling: The Real Nuts and Bolts of Blockchain
Production Foundation Platform is a Bit More that a Data Lake
Happiness as a Service with Cloud Foundry and OpenShift
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/453882/
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