IT Architecture Roles
Business Architect vs. Enterprise Architect vs. Solution Architect vs. Technical Architect
BUSINESS ARCHITECT (BA) ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT (EA) SOLUTION ARCHITECT (SA) TECHNICAL ARCHITECT (TA) How to become a BA
• Learn the fundamentals
of IT and business process
Technology Focus Technology Focus Technology Focus Technology Focus modeling
• Gain experience in planning
and executing business and
IT initiatives
Strategy Focus Strategy Focus Strategy Focus Strategy Focus
• Act as liaison between
conveying what the business
needs to IT and technical
Key Competencies Key Competencies Key Competencies Key Competencies constraints to the business
Enterprise-wide view of the business, processes, and Master of EA Frameworks (i.e. TOGAF, Zachman Coordinates ongoing activities High level of in-depth expertise (i.e. Python, Java)
capabilities Framework)
Translates the design concept to IT operations Provides recommendations to address potential threats
Aligns strategic goals and objectives with products, Uncovers operational gaps How to become a EA
services and resources Defines a best-fit solution for existing problems Implements technical processes to roll out solutions
Analyzes information through data models and • Learn the fundamentals of
Ability to apply architectural principles to business architecture diagrams Ensures technological risks are accounted for and Delivers fully functional products in a timely manner for IT, business operations, and
solutions solutions meet necessary requirements the end user software architecture
Communicates the value of new IT strategies and keeps
Enables technologies and governance in support of stakeholders informed of ongoing initiatives • Earn certifications: i.e.
capabilities TOGAF, FEAC, LeanIX
Practitioner
Daily Use Cases Daily Use Cases Daily Use Cases Daily Use Cases • Leverage managerial skills to
lead, advise, or collaborate
with different departments
Encapsulate the
Streamline the
current maturity of the
application Plan transformations Realize a 360-degree
business capabilities
landscape for on time – whether view inside DevOps
and manage essential
optimal performance. it’s for your cloud containers to
transformations to
Decommission migration, external How to become a SA
continually increase accelerate release
redundancies and audits, or beyond. cycles.
maturity in alignment • Learn the fundamentals
reduce costs.
with strategic goals. of software architecture,
computer science
• Acquire the ability to
translate abstract problems
Define the strategic, Understand Communicate how Create process for
into concrete solutions that
core, and support where data applications support rapid development,
can be executed to drive
processes of functional interdependencies business capabilities intelligent
business outcomes.
and organizational live across the IT in terms of functional personalization, and
entities. landscape. Identify fit, technical fit, seamless exploration • Communicate initiatives in a
and avoid tech risks. and risk. across all solutions. way that both business and
technology professionals
can understand
How to become a TA
Integration between Integration between Integration between • Learn the fundamentals
Business Architecture and Enterprise Architecture Enterprise and Solution Architecture Solution and Technical Architecture of software development,
computer science
BAs provide direction on operationalizing the organization’s business strategy, The relationship between EAs and SAs mirrors the relationship between Technical Architects translate the proposed solution of the
including the systems, processes and data required. EAs provide a roadmap of technological strategy and its effective implementation. EAs focus more Solution Architects into an integrated system and provide in-depth • Gain an understanding of
organizational redesign and change consistent with BAs direction and on the strategic portion, whereas SAs take specific problems and propose technological insight on matters like hardware and software specifics. full-stack development for
the overall strategic vision. a solution to support the vision. a broader knowledge of
technical operations
• Use interpersonal skills
to work alongside non-
What makes these roles critical for organizational transformation?
technical business
All four positions define business goals and design an information technology roadmap. This roadmap creates a bridge between context and concept. colleagues. Project manage
Whether an organization needs all four types of architects depends on the company size and the complexity of its infrastructure. workload of technical teams
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