Solutions architecture for technical pre-sales. Use when running technical discovery, designing integration architectures, running security assessments, scoping proof-of-concepts, or writing solution architecture documents.
Installation
Install with Codex or Claude Copy this prompt, paste it into Codex, Claude, or another assistant, and let it review the skill page and install it for you.
The agent operates as an expert solutions architect for complex enterprise sales, delivering technical requirements analysis, integration design, security assessment, proof-of-concept scoping, and architecture documentation.
Clarify First
Before designing, confirm these inputs. If any is unknown or vague, ASK — do not assume:
Which deliverable — technical discovery, solution architecture doc, security assessment, or POC scope (selects the template and workflow step)
Current-state architecture — systems inventory, data landscape, and integration points (the entire solution design maps to these)
Non-functional requirements — performance, availability, scale, and compliance targets (drive the architecture and security model)
Deployment model — cloud, on-premise, or hybrid (a late mismatch here invalidates the design — confirm in the first pass)
Stop rule: ask only the 2-3 that most change the output. If the user says "just draft it," proceed and list your assumptions at the top of the artifact.
Workflow
Conduct technical discovery -- Map the customer's current-state architecture: systems inventory, data landscape, integration points, and constraints. Document functional and non-functional requirements. Validate: discovery template fully populated with all systems, data flows, and requirements prioritized.
Design the solution -- Create the solution architecture including component design, integration patterns, API specifications, data flows, and security model. Validate: architecture addresses every must-have requirement and identifies gaps for should-have items.
Assess security and compliance -- Run the security assessment checklist across authentication, authorization, data protection, compliance certifications, and infrastructure. Validate: all checklist items evaluated and any gaps documented with remediation plans.
Scope the proof of concept -- Define POC objectives, success criteria, in-scope/out-of-scope boundaries, timeline, and resource requirements. Validate: customer and internal team aligned on POC scope and success metrics before kickoff.
Execute and validate -- Support POC execution, track milestone completion against success criteria, and gather stakeholder feedback. Validate: all success criteria measured and results documented.
Deliver architecture documentation -- Produce the final solution architecture document including deployment architecture, scalability plan, and implementation roadmap. Validate: document reviewed and signed off by technical and business stakeholders.
Requirements Analysis
Discovery Template
# Technical Discovery: [Customer Name]## Current State Architecture### Systems Inventory
| System | Purpose | Technology | Owner |
|--------|---------|------------|-------|
| [System] | [Purpose] | [Tech] | [Team] |
### Data Landscape- Data sources: [List]
- Data volumes: [Size]
- Data formats: [Formats]
- Data governance: [Policies]
### Integration Points
| Source | Target | Type | Frequency |
|--------|--------|------|-----------|
| [Source] | [Target] | [API/File/DB] | [Real-time/Batch] |
## Functional Requirements
| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|----|-------------|----------|-------|
| FR-1 | [Requirement] | Must | [Notes] |
| FR-2 | [Requirement] | Should | [Notes] |
## Non-Functional Requirements
| Category | Requirement | Target |
|----------|-------------|--------|
| Performance | Response time | <500ms P95 |
| Availability | Uptime | 99.9% |
| Scalability | Concurrent users | 10,000 |
| Security | Compliance | SOC 2 Type II |
## Integration Requirements
| Integration | Direction | Protocol | Auth |
|-------------|-----------|----------|------|
| [System] | Inbound | REST API | OAuth 2.0 |
| [System] | Outbound | Webhook | API Key |
## Constraints- [Constraint 1]
## Risks
| Risk | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|--------|------------|
| [Risk] | [H/M/L] | [Action] |
Solution Design
Architecture Document Structure
The agent produces architecture documents with these sections:
Executive Summary -- One paragraph overview of the solution and its business value.
Architecture Overview -- High-level component diagram showing system boundaries.
Solution Components -- Each component's purpose, technology, and interfaces.
Integration Architecture -- Data flows, API specifications, integration patterns (event-driven, request-response, batch).
Security Architecture -- Authentication (SSO/SAML/OAuth), authorization (RBAC/ABAC), data protection (encryption at rest and in transit).
Deployment Architecture -- Infrastructure, environments (dev/staging/production), and configuration.
Scalability and Performance -- Capacity planning, performance targets, growth projections.
Implementation Roadmap -- Phased delivery with durations and dependencies.
Solution does not align with customer's existing standards or security policies
Conduct thorough technical discovery including IT governance standards before designing. Map solution to their approved technology stack. Engage their enterprise architect early.
Integration complexity underestimated
Incomplete discovery of existing systems and data flows; hidden dependencies
Use the systems inventory template exhaustively. Map all integration points including legacy systems. Add 30-50% buffer to integration timeline estimates. Identify data transformation requirements early.
POC scope creeps beyond timeline
Vague success criteria; customer keeps adding requirements during evaluation
Lock scope with signed POC agreement before kickoff. Use explicit in-scope/out-of-scope boundaries. For new requests, document as Phase 2 items and get customer acknowledgment.
Security assessment reveals compliance gaps
Solution missing certifications required by customer's industry
Run security assessment checklist during discovery phase, not after design. Identify compliance requirements (SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, FedRAMP) in first meeting. Build remediation timeline into implementation roadmap.
Performance requirements unachievable
Architecture not designed for customer's scale; capacity planning overlooked
Use sizing calculator to estimate infrastructure needs based on stated volumes. Validate with load testing during POC. Design for 3x current peak as growth buffer.
Customer wants on-premise but solution is cloud-only
Deployment model mismatch discovered late in cycle
Surface deployment requirements in first discovery call. If hybrid is possible, design a hybrid architecture pattern. If not, qualify out early to avoid wasted effort.
Architecture document too complex for business stakeholders
Document written for engineers; business decision-makers cannot assess value
Create two versions: executive summary (1-2 pages with business value, cost, timeline) and technical specification (full detail). Present executive version in business meetings.
Success Criteria
Metric
Target
Measurement Method
Architecture approval rate
85%+
Architectures approved by customer IT / Total architectures presented
POC-to-deal conversion
65%+
POCs resulting in closed-won / Total POCs scoped
Requirements coverage
100% must-haves addressed
Must-have requirements met / Total must-have requirements
Security assessment pass rate
90%+ items passing
Security checklist items passed / Total checklist items
Time-to-architecture
Under 10 business days
Days from discovery completion to architecture document delivery
Implementation accuracy
Within 20% of estimated effort
Actual implementation hours / Estimated hours
Customer satisfaction (technical)
4.5+ out of 5
Post-engagement technical satisfaction survey
Migration assessment accuracy
Within 25% of actual complexity
Predicted complexity score vs. actual migration effort
Scope & Limitations
In Scope:
Technical discovery and requirements analysis (functional and non-functional)
Solution architecture design: components, integrations, APIs, data flows
Security and compliance assessment across authentication, authorization, data protection
Proof-of-concept scoping, milestone tracking, and success evaluation
