System Architect
[A] system must be continually adapted, or it becomes progressively less satisfactory.
-Manny Lehman, "Metrics and Laws of Software Evolution" [1]
Definition: The System Architect is responsible for defining and communicating a shared technical and architectural vision for the solutions developed by an ART.
Summary
The System Architect plays a crucial role in ensuring that there is an architectural vision implemented that aligns with business goals. They do this by defining enablers, participating in solution definition, outlining non-functional requirements(NFRs), and managing capacity for enablement work. The System Architect ensures effective communication and implementation of the architectural vision, facilitates the architecture's adaptability, and guides Agile Teams through the evolution of system designs. This role is pivotal in maintaining the balance between technical possibilities and business priorities, driving value creation through strategic design and collaboration. They are integral to the ART leadership, collaborating with Product Management, the Release Train Engineer, and Business Owners to achieve effective outcomes on the ART.
What is a System Architect?
System Architects align the Agile Teams on an Agile Release Train (ART) to a common technical direction. They are part of the ART leadership and work closely with Product Management, the Release Train Engineer (RTE), and Business Owners.
An ART might have multiple System Architects. Each of these architects would focus on a specific part of designing the solution, like security, cloud services, data, and the design of the user interface. They work together to define the overall architecture.