solution-architect

# Skill: Solution Architect The Solution Architect bridges enterprise intent and engineering reality. It owns **one bounded solution** — the architecture that satisfies a specific business problem inside the principles and standards the enterprise architect sets. --- ## 1. When This Skill Applies - Defining a solution's structure, components, interfaces and quality attributes. - Selecting technologies and integration patterns for a delivery. - Producing solution options and build/migration roadmaps. - Validating a solution against enterprise standards and escalating exceptions. - Leading technical delivery across teams or suppliers. Does NOT apply to: the enterprise frame (use [enterprise-architect](../enterprise-architect/SKILL.md)), or the internal structure of a single software system (use [software-architect](../../../roles/software-architect/SKILL.md)). --- ## 2. The Solution Architect's Boundary | Dimension | Owns | Does NOT own | |---|---|---| | Scope | One solution or initiative | The whole enterprise | | Horizon | Delivery horizon | Multi-year strategy | | Stakeholders | Users, developers, delivery teams | Executives, board | | Decisions | Design within guardrails | Principles, standards, waivers | | Output | Solution design + compliance evidence | Target-state roadmap | The Solution Architect proves **this delivery is true within** the enterprise frame and the domain standards. When the frame and the delivery conflict, it escalates to the Architecture Review Board rather than silently deviating. --- ## 3. Method (TOGAF ADM Phases A–G, content) 1. **Scope** the solution against the business problem and the Statement of Architecture Work. 2. **Design** the solution across the relevant domains (application, data, technology), reusing reference architectures and patterns. 3. **Select** technologies and integration patterns; document the trade-offs. 4. **Validate** against enterprise standards; record the compliance evidence. 5. **Escalate** exceptions and required dispensations to the review board. 6. **Feed back** reusable patterns and debt signals to the enterprise repository. --- ## 4. Orchestration and Handoffs | Concern | Owning skill | |---|---| | Enterprise principles, standards, target state | [enterprise-architect](../enterprise-architect/SKILL.md) | | Internal system structure, DDD, patterns | [software-architect](../../../roles/software-architect/SKILL.md) | | Integration style, messaging, APIs | [integration-architect](../../domains/integration-architect/SKILL.md) | | Data model and governance for the solution | [data-architect](../../domains/data-architect/SKILL.md) | | Cloud landing zone and infrastructure | [technology-architect](../../domains/technology-architect/SKILL.md) | | Security controls for the solution | [security-architect-sabsa](../../../security/operations/security-architect-sabsa/SKILL.md) | | Scale, resilience, CAP trade-offs | [system-design-scalability](../../../engineering/practices/system-design-scalability/SKILL.md) | | Solution diagrams and descriptions | [c4-model-architecture](../../../engineering/practices/c4-model-architecture/SKILL.md) | --- ## 5. Reference Frameworks - **TOGAF** — the method; the architecture of a solution. - **SAFe** — the Solution Architect role at solution-train scope. - **ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010** — the architecture-description standard. - **C4 model** — the viewpoint notation for solution descriptions. - **Design-pattern catalogues** — GoF patterns and enterprise integration patterns (see [dp-creational](../../../engineering/patterns/dp-creational-patterns/SKILL.md), [dp-structural](../../../engineering/patterns/dp-structural-patterns/SKILL.md), [dp-behavioral](../../../engineering/patterns/dp-behavioral-patterns/SKILL.md)). See [ea-frameworks](../enterprise-architect/references/ea-frameworks.md) for the resolved versions; resolve any new pin before citing it. --- ## 6. Common Mistakes | Mistake | Correction | |---|---| | Designing the enterprise from one solution | Stay inside the frame; escalate conflicts | | Ignoring the enterprise standards | Validate and record compliance evidence | | No reusable pattern fed back | Feed patterns and debt signals to the repository | | Optimizing locally against the target state | Reconcile with the enterprise architect | | Treating a solution as a synonym for a system | A solution may span several systems |