A Day in the Life of an AWS Solutions Architect

AWS Solutions Architect Jobs are creative, collaborative, and constantly evolving. No day will ever be the same, and nurturing a good balance of technical and business skills is a sure way to success. So, what does an average day in the life of an AWS Solutions Architect look like in 2021?

Here, we look at what an AWS Solutions Architect does, the key skills every Solutions Architect should cultivate, and who they collaborate with on a daily basis. We also share some insights from Adam Blaney, our Regional Director

WHAT IS AN AWS SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT?

The role of ‘AWS Solutions Architect’ is completely open to interpretation depending on what the company deems the Solutions Architect to do in that particular context, in relation to their business goals.

As KnowledgeHut notes, an AWS Certified Solutions Architect is a Solutions Architect with an AWS Solutions Architect Certification that “has the responsibility of designing one or more services or applications within an organization”.

WHAT DOES AN AWS SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT DO?

When thinking about why a company would need to employ an AWS Solutions Architect in the first place, it all goes back to what the company wants to achieve.

Broadly speaking, as KnowledgeHut notes, an AWS Solutions Architect’s role involves “the integration of hardware and software for meeting the customer-defined purpose”, as well as the “examination of current systems and architecture”’ to recommend “solutions for more effective systems”.

Adam Blaney notes:

“From our customer base, you have companies who need a solution architect who is potentially an integration partner or a cloud service provider who needs a solution architect to work on their behalf to implement their solution”.

Generally, they are responsible for managing the architecture of a business’s cloud, working closely with an enterprise architect or a technical architect. However, AWS Solution Architects are considerably more focused around the business impact, process, and principles, rather than the technology itself.

WHAT ARE THE KEY SKILLS AN AWS SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT SHOULD ACQUIRE?

Every solution architect should nurture a rounded balance of business and technical skills, and validate those technical skills via AWS Certified Solutions Architect Exams. Although it is primarily a technical role, possessing an apt for creative thinking, collaboration and communication is key to being a successful AWS Solutions Architect, whatever industry you work across.

Discussing the need for such skills, Adam Blaney notes:

“When you are working in the architecture space, it's definitely about having both sides: a technical understanding of a product and the solution, as well as being able to engage with the right stakeholder in the right way.”

Stakeholder management is a key part of every AWS Solutions Architect’s daily routine, so having the ability to communicate clearly and concisely across many teams in a business is a must. Very often, a solution architect is someone that the key stakeholders turn to for information or guidance about the challenges they face, things that they are looking to implement, and what the business impact could be if they do not implement these changes. Successful AWS Solutions Architects must be able to clearly articulate their perspective around what a process needs to be for the solution they have provided.

Moreover, as many projects will be international, solution architects must be able to adapt to different ways of doing business and communicating.

WHO DO AWS SOLUTIONS ARCHITECTS WORK WITH?

As discussed above, AWS Solutions Architects will communicate with and collaborate across many teams in the business. However, regarding who works most closely with a Solution Architect specifically? This again depends on the size of the business.

In a larger enterprise - which will usually have a dedicated architect team - a Solutions Architect would report into the Head of Architecture who is responsible for that team. The team would also usually feature one to two enterprise-level architects, as well as a handful of Solution Architects and Technical Architects.

In smaller businesses, the financial capacity will also be diminished. This means that there will be a much tighter, if any, architect team. In this case, there will usually be one enterprise architect who acts as the solution or technical architect for the whole business.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, synergetic and inventive career, a career in Solutions Architecture could be your perfect match. With more and more features and programs being added every month, AWS Certified Solutions Architects are always in demand to keep up with the perpetually evolving landscape. If you are on the hunt for your next contract or permanent Solutions Architecture job role, get in touch with our team today.