Solution architecture, term used in

information technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology syste ...

with various definitions such as; "A description of a discrete and focused business operation or activity and how IS/ IT supports that operation".

Definitions

The Open Group The Open Group is a global consortium that seeks to "enable the achievement of business objectives" by developing "open, vendor-neutral technology standards and certifications." It has over 840 member organizations and provides a number of servi ...

's definition of Solution Architecture, as provided above, is accompanied by the following three from Scaled Agile, Gartner and Greefhorst/Proper. It is worth noting that the Open Group does not recognize the role "Solution Architect" in its TOGAF skills framework whilst Glassdoor advertised 55,000 Solution Architect roles in August 2020. * Scaled agile (2020) ''Solution Architect/Engineering is responsible for defining and communicating a shared technical and architectural vision across a "Solution Train" to help ensure the system or Solution under development is fit for its intended purpose.'' *

Gartner Gartner, Inc is a technological research and consulting firm based in Stamford, Connecticut that conducts research on technology and shares this research both through private consulting as well as executive programs and conferences. Its client ...

(2013) ''A solution architecture (SA) is an architectural description of a specific solution. SAs combine guidance from different enterprise architecture viewpoints (business, information and technical), as well as from the enterprise solution architecture (ESA).'' * Greefhorst and

Proper Proper may refer to: Mathematics * Proper map, in topology, a property of continuous function between topological spaces, if inverse images of compact subsets are compact * Proper morphism, in algebraic geometry, an analogue of a proper map for ...

(2013) ''An architecture of a solution, where a solution is a system that offers a coherent set of functionalities to its environment. As such, it concerns those properties of a solution that are necessary and sufficient to meet its essential requirements'' A typical property of Solution Architecture, in contrast to other flavours of Enterprise Architecture, is that it often seeks to define a solution within the context of a project or initiative. This close association to actual projects and initiatives means that solution architecture is the means to execute or realise a technology strategy.

Coverage

According to

Forrester Research Forrester is a research and advisory company that offers a variety of services including research, consulting, and events. Forrester has nine North America locations: Cambridge, Massachusetts; New York, New York; San Francisco, California; McLe ...

, Solution Architecture is one of the key components by which Enterprise Architecture delivers value to the organization. It entails artifacts such as; solution business context, solution vision and requirements, solution options (e.g. through RFIs, RFPs or prototype development) and an agreed optimal solution with build and implementation plans ("road-map"). Since The Open Group does not recognize a unique Solution Architect role a relevant link for these mentioned artifacts can be to the

Business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or buying and selling products (such as goods and services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for profit." Having a business name does not separ ...

and

Systems Analyst A systems analyst, also known as business technology analyst, is an information technology (IT) professional who specializes in analyzing, designing and implementing information systems. Systems analysts assess the suitability of information syst ...

roles. It is also worth reminding that The Open Group does define Solution Architecture as something larger than Forrester (see aforementioned definition). Then on, according to the 2013 paper published by the

Federation of Enterprise Architecture Professional Organizations The Federation of Enterprise Architecture Professional Organizations (FEAPO) is a worldwide association of professional organizations, aiming to standardize, professionalize, and otherwise advance the discipline of enterprise architecture."Stephe ...

, Solution Architecture includes

business architecture In the business sector, business architecture is a discipline that "represents holistic, multidimensional business views of: capabilities, end‐to‐end value delivery, information, and organizational structure; and the relationships among these ...

information architecture Information architecture (IA) is the structural design of shared information environments; the art and science of organizing and labelling websites, intranets, online communities and software to support usability and findability; and an emerging ...

application architecture In information systems, applications architecture or application architecture is one of several architecture domains that form the pillars of an enterprise architecture (EA). An applications architecture describes the behavior of applications ...

, and technology architecture operating at a tactical level and focusing on the scope and span of a selected business problem. In contrast, enterprise architecture, which also includes the aforementioned four types of architecture, operates at the strategic level and its scope and span is the enterprise rather than a specific business problem.Mistrík Ivan, Antony Tang, Rami Bahsoon, Judith A. Stafford. (2013), Aligning Enterprise, System, and Software Architectures. Business Science Reference.

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