What Solution Architecture Does

Most people can appreciate that, before starting to build something, it often pays to think about what’s being built and how it can be built.

Similarly, construction in the ICT  industry requires thought, analysis and design, the product of which is ‘the solution’. Ideally, the solution is defined by business requirements (what is needed), project constraints (such as funding, resources & time), and available technology options.
The overlap of these three influences is the logical solution, as illustrated in the following Venn diagram:

The selection, design & specification of the solution are the responsibility of the Solution Architect. In the simplest terms:

For complex technology solutions, this set of responsibilities cannot be duplicated by any other role, a role that returns dividends on the investment of time & money.