A much-loved child has many names. The term “IT Architect” is widely used and covers a great deal of ground. We have defined six more specific architect roles to clarify which competences are most in demand for the various activities within FDA. An “IT Architect” can, in principle, cover one or more (but rarely all) of these six roles.
Many organisations - especially those in the public sector - do not have any employees with a title in which “Architect” forms part of the title in relation to IT and digitalisation. More often, the title may be Head of IT, Consultant, Project Manager or Developer. In other organisations - especially IT vendor companies - you will find IT Architects, Solution Architects or Security Architects. DIT ACF defines six architect roles, as described below. Other roles than the six described here could easily have been defined, but our aim has been to create a connection to the best-known architecture frameworks. The examples above will typically cover one or more of the six roles we have defined. Conversely, each of the six roles shares responsibility for ensuring, for example, that a solution is coherent and that security is handled properly.
Enterprise Architect - focus on being proactive in maintaining the enterprise architecture, having an overview of how things fit together, and involving specialist experts when necessary.
Business Architect - focus on analysis, modelling and optimal process support for business processes.
Information Architect - focus on information modelling and database structures.
Application Architect - focus on applications and services.
Technology Architect - focus on the technological infrastructure and the technical aspects of databases and applications.
Solution Architect - focus on implementing solutions in the organisation.
Each of the six roles is described later in this document.
The six architect roles have been shaped from a range of sources, including methodologies and frameworks (e.g. TOGAF and FDA), literature and experience considered relevant for use in an enterprise architecture project.
FDA does not describe the extent to which the various roles should be involved in a project, nor whether the roles can be combined. It is unlikely that one “IT Architect” will hold all six roles, and conversely, it cannot be expected that every organisation employs the equivalent of at least six full-time architect positions.
It is important to emphasise that the aim is to describe which competences the various roles are expected to have. Although you will find some guidance on what the roles are called, the aim is not to discuss titles, specific job profiles or the number of full-time equivalent positions required.
The need for each role depends on the type of architecture project being carried out. If there is only limited need for a particular specialist competence, it may be worth sourcing this externally, whereas it makes good sense to fill the more central roles in an architecture project with internal resources.
The general term “IT Architect” has been elaborated into the six architect roles that form part of the digitalisation work - that is, six specialisations or profiles of the IT Architect, each with its own focus.
The six architect roles are described using 11 different competences - two business-related, six general and three technical competences.
A single role does not necessarily need to be filled by one person. The competence dimensions simply show which combination of competences is recommended for a given role.
The six roles are included in the Danish IT Society Architecture Competence Framework Profile Tool. With this simple Profile Tool, you can assess your own or others’ IT architecture competences. Use the tool when putting together an architecture team or as part of recruitment.
The Danish IT Society Architecture Competence Framework Profile Tool is described later in this document.
If you need to strengthen your competences in relation to the architect role or profile you are to fulfil, you can take architecture, project management and other development courses and certifications through Danish IT Society. An overview is available at https://akademi.dit.dk/. You can also participate in one of the many network groups for knowledge sharing; see https://www.dit.dk/Netvaerksgrupper. The courses and certifications are at a level comparable with other Danish and international architecture courses and certifications.
