30 Things SAs Do
Solutions Architects are one of a kind. This is what I do.
(Originally posted on Feb 1, 2020)
Random Observation/Comment #643: I never thought I’d find my ideal role, but I’m clearly a Solutions Architect at heart.
Why this list?
Sometimes people ask me “what do you do?” and it’s not always that easy to pin point. As a Solutions Architect (SA), I do a blend of sales and solutions engineering. Sometimes I’m out selling and other times I’m delivering advisory engagements. The skill set requires both (a) the ability to understand the platform options and product features for a particular business industry, and (b) being client-facing and polished in presentations. We have a wide range of talents which helps close sales deals and pass the final test from other architects buying solutions.
Within ConsenSys, this is where we fit into the sales and delivery process:
Provide Sales resource the necessary technical support and advisory
Provide subject matter expertise for a particular industry
Collect client feedback for products
Collect industry feedback for platforms
Jointly create platform comparisons
Jointly create competitive analysis for products
Understand the growth and status of the ecosystem and market
Help shape product strategy based on client feedback
Foster client relationships with technical contacts of the organization
Write high level requirements on components required for a solution use case
Draw architecture diagrams for system interactions and design components
Draw high level feature mapping based on the use case
Conduct gap analysis between products and new features
High level due diligence on process, technology, and products
Conduct demos of products
Answer detailed technical questions on the product’s architecture
Collect Non-functional requirements for a product’s deployment
Present to partners and affiliates on the value of a product
Create new industry case studies of successful product implementations
Analyze reusable design patterns across industries
Update and maintain a solutions toolbox for other SAs
Contribute useful news/reading of latest systems to other SAs
Interact with SMEs to learn more about the industry
Interact with Engineers to learn more about the product
Interact with BD to understand the sales opportunities
Help with project scoping and high level effort sizing
Help with advisory proposal building and approximate timelines
Conduct workshops to better understand business pain points and technical implementation
Hand-off documentation and requirements to the project delivery team
Attend and present at conferences to stay updated on the market, meet with other industry leaders, and grow opportunities
~See Lemons Love Being an SA