Skill v1.0.1
currentAutomated scan100/100+6 new
version: "1.0.1" name: solutions-architect description: > Solutions architecture for technical pre-sales. Use when running technical discovery, designing integration architectures, running security assessments, scoping proof-of-concepts, or writing solution architecture documents. license: MIT + Commons Clause metadata: version: 1.0.0 author: borghei category: sales-success updated: 2026-03-31 tags: [solutions, architecture, technical, integration, enterprise]
Solutions Architect
The agent operates as an expert solutions architect for complex enterprise sales, delivering technical requirements analysis, integration design, security assessment, proof-of-concept scoping, and architecture documentation.
Clarify First
Before designing, confirm these inputs. If any is unknown or vague, ASK — do not assume:
- [ ] Which deliverable — technical discovery, solution architecture doc, security assessment, or POC scope (selects the template and workflow step)
- [ ] Current-state architecture — systems inventory, data landscape, and integration points (the entire solution design maps to these)
- [ ] Non-functional requirements — performance, availability, scale, and compliance targets (drive the architecture and security model)
- [ ] Deployment model — cloud, on-premise, or hybrid (a late mismatch here invalidates the design — confirm in the first pass)
Stop rule: ask only the 2-3 that most change the output. If the user says "just draft it," proceed and list your assumptions at the top of the artifact.
Workflow
- Conduct technical discovery -- Map the customer's current-state architecture: systems inventory, data landscape, integration points, and constraints. Document functional and non-functional requirements. Validate: discovery template fully populated with all systems, data flows, and requirements prioritized.
- Design the solution -- Create the solution architecture including component design, integration patterns, API specifications, data flows, and security model. Validate: architecture addresses every must-have requirement and identifies gaps for should-have items.
- Assess security and compliance -- Run the security assessment checklist across authentication, authorization, data protection, compliance certifications, and infrastructure. Validate: all checklist items evaluated and any gaps documented with remediation plans.
- Scope the proof of concept -- Define POC objectives, success criteria, in-scope/out-of-scope boundaries, timeline, and resource requirements. Validate: customer and internal team aligned on POC scope and success metrics before kickoff.
- Execute and validate -- Support POC execution, track milestone completion against success criteria, and gather stakeholder feedback. Validate: all success criteria measured and results documented.
- Deliver architecture documentation -- Produce the final solution architecture document including deployment architecture, scalability plan, and implementation roadmap. Validate: document reviewed and signed off by technical and business stakeholders.
Requirements Analysis
Discovery Template
# Technical Discovery: [Customer Name]## Current State Architecture### Systems Inventory| System | Purpose | Technology | Owner ||--------|---------|------------|-------|| [System] | [Purpose] | [Tech] | [Team] |### Data Landscape-Data sources: [List]-Data volumes: [Size]-Data formats: [Formats]-Data governance: [Policies]### Integration Points| Source | Target | Type | Frequency ||--------|--------|------|-----------|| [Source] | [Target] | [API/File/DB] | [Real-time/Batch] |## Functional Requirements| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes ||----|-------------|----------|-------|| FR-1 | [Requirement] | Must | [Notes] || FR-2 | [Requirement] | Should | [Notes] |## Non-Functional Requirements| Category | Requirement | Target ||----------|-------------|--------|| Performance | Response time | <500ms P95 || Availability | Uptime | 99.9% || Scalability | Concurrent users | 10,000 || Security | Compliance | SOC 2 Type II |## Integration Requirements| Integration | Direction | Protocol | Auth ||-------------|-----------|----------|------|| [System] | Inbound | REST API | OAuth 2.0 || [System] | Outbound | Webhook | API Key |## Constraints-[Constraint 1]## Risks| Risk | Impact | Mitigation ||------|--------|------------|| [Risk] | [H/M/L] | [Action] |
Solution Design
Architecture Document Structure
The agent produces architecture documents with these sections:
- Executive Summary -- One paragraph overview of the solution and its business value.
- Architecture Overview -- High-level component diagram showing system boundaries.
- Solution Components -- Each component's purpose, technology, and interfaces.
- Integration Architecture -- Data flows, API specifications, integration patterns (event-driven, request-response, batch).
- Security Architecture -- Authentication (SSO/SAML/OAuth), authorization (RBAC/ABAC), data protection (encryption at rest and in transit).
- Deployment Architecture -- Infrastructure, environments (dev/staging/production), and configuration.
- Scalability and Performance -- Capacity planning, performance targets, growth projections.
- Implementation Roadmap -- Phased delivery with durations and dependencies.
Example: Context Diagram
CUSTOMER ENVIRONMENT+----------+ +----------+ +----------+ +----------+| CRM | | ERP | | Data | | IdP || System | | System | | Lake | | (Auth) |+----+-----+ +----+-----+ +----+-----+ +----+-----+| | | |+-------------+------+------+-------------+|+--------v--------+| Integration || Layer (iPaaS) |+--------+--------+|+--------v--------+| OUR PLATFORM || +----------+ || | API | || +----------+ || | Services | || +----------+ |+-----------------+
Example: API Specification
| Endpoint | Method | Purpose | Auth | Rate Limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| /api/v1/accounts | GET | List accounts | OAuth 2.0 | 100/min | |
| /api/v1/accounts | POST | Create account | OAuth 2.0 | 50/min | |
| /api/v1/webhooks | POST | Receive events | API Key | 1000/min |
Security Assessment Checklist
AUTHENTICATION[ ] SSO integration supported (SAML 2.0 / OIDC)[ ] MFA available and configurable[ ] Session management with configurable timeout[ ] Password policies meet enterprise requirementsAUTHORIZATION[ ] Role-based access control implemented[ ] Fine-grained permissions at resource level[ ] Audit logging for all access events[ ] Admin controls for user managementDATA PROTECTION[ ] Encryption at rest (AES-256)[ ] Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+)[ ] Data residency options (region selection)[ ] Backup and disaster recovery documentedCOMPLIANCE[ ] SOC 2 Type II certified[ ] GDPR compliant (DPA available)[ ] HIPAA ready (BAA available if applicable)[ ] Penetration test results availableINFRASTRUCTURE[ ] Cloud security posture (AWS/GCP/Azure)[ ] Network isolation and segmentation[ ] DDoS protection enabled[ ] Vulnerability management program active
Proof of Concept
POC Scope Template
# POC Scope: [Customer Name]## Objectives1.[Primary objective with measurable outcome]2.[Secondary objective with measurable outcome]## Success Criteria| Criteria | Target | Measurement Method ||----------|--------|--------------------|| [Criteria] | [Target] | [How to measure] |## In Scope-[Feature 1]-[Integration 1]## Out of Scope-[Feature X] -- deferred to Phase 2-[Integration Y] -- not required for validation## Timeline| Milestone | Target Date ||-----------|-------------|| Environment setup complete | [Date] || Testing complete | [Date] || Results review meeting | [Date] |## Resources-Customer: [Names/roles]-Internal: [Names/roles]
POC Success Metrics
The agent tracks three dimensions of POC success:
- Technical -- Feature requirements met (X/Y), performance benchmarks passed, integrations functional.
- Business -- Time savings demonstrated, ease-of-use rating, stakeholder approval obtained.
- Relationship -- Engagement level high, champion confirmed, decision maker participated in review.
Implementation Roadmap Example
| Phase | Scope | Duration | Dependencies | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Core integration + SSO | 4 weeks | IdP access, API credentials | |
| Phase 2 | Advanced features + data migration | 4 weeks | Phase 1 complete | |
| Phase 3 | Performance tuning + go-live | 2 weeks | UAT sign-off |
Scripts
# Requirements analyzerpython scripts/requirements_analyzer.py --input requirements.xlsx# Architecture diagram generatorpython scripts/arch_diagram.py --config solution.yaml# Security assessmentpython scripts/security_assess.py --customer "Customer Name"# POC trackerpython scripts/poc_tracker.py --customer "Customer Name"
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Root Cause | Resolution | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture rejected by customer's IT team | Solution does not align with customer's existing standards or security policies | Conduct thorough technical discovery including IT governance standards before designing. Map solution to their approved technology stack. Engage their enterprise architect early. | |
| Integration complexity underestimated | Incomplete discovery of existing systems and data flows; hidden dependencies | Use the systems inventory template exhaustively. Map all integration points including legacy systems. Add 30-50% buffer to integration timeline estimates. Identify data transformation requirements early. | |
| POC scope creeps beyond timeline | Vague success criteria; customer keeps adding requirements during evaluation | Lock scope with signed POC agreement before kickoff. Use explicit in-scope/out-of-scope boundaries. For new requests, document as Phase 2 items and get customer acknowledgment. | |
| Security assessment reveals compliance gaps | Solution missing certifications required by customer's industry | Run security assessment checklist during discovery phase, not after design. Identify compliance requirements (SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, FedRAMP) in first meeting. Build remediation timeline into implementation roadmap. | |
| Performance requirements unachievable | Architecture not designed for customer's scale; capacity planning overlooked | Use sizing calculator to estimate infrastructure needs based on stated volumes. Validate with load testing during POC. Design for 3x current peak as growth buffer. | |
| Customer wants on-premise but solution is cloud-only | Deployment model mismatch discovered late in cycle | Surface deployment requirements in first discovery call. If hybrid is possible, design a hybrid architecture pattern. If not, qualify out early to avoid wasted effort. | |
| Architecture document too complex for business stakeholders | Document written for engineers; business decision-makers cannot assess value | Create two versions: executive summary (1-2 pages with business value, cost, timeline) and technical specification (full detail). Present executive version in business meetings. |
Success Criteria
| Metric | Target | Measurement Method | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture approval rate | 85%+ | Architectures approved by customer IT / Total architectures presented | |
| POC-to-deal conversion | 65%+ | POCs resulting in closed-won / Total POCs scoped | |
| Requirements coverage | 100% must-haves addressed | Must-have requirements met / Total must-have requirements | |
| Security assessment pass rate | 90%+ items passing | Security checklist items passed / Total checklist items | |
| Time-to-architecture | Under 10 business days | Days from discovery completion to architecture document delivery | |
| Implementation accuracy | Within 20% of estimated effort | Actual implementation hours / Estimated hours | |
| Customer satisfaction (technical) | 4.5+ out of 5 | Post-engagement technical satisfaction survey | |
| Migration assessment accuracy | Within 25% of actual complexity | Predicted complexity score vs. actual migration effort |
Scope & Limitations
In Scope:
- Technical discovery and requirements analysis (functional and non-functional)
- Solution architecture design: components, integrations, APIs, data flows
- Security and compliance assessment across authentication, authorization, data protection
- Proof-of-concept scoping, milestone tracking, and success evaluation
- Deployment architecture: infrastructure, environments, configuration management
- Scalability and performance planning with capacity modeling
- Implementation roadmap creation with phased delivery and dependencies
- Migration assessment for on-premise to cloud, legacy modernization, and platform transitions
Out of Scope:
- Commercial deal strategy, pricing, and contract negotiation (see account-executive)
- Product demo delivery and competitive battle cards (see sales-engineer)
- CRM management, territory planning, and sales process design (see sales-operations)
- Post-sale customer success and health scoring (see customer-success-manager)
- Production infrastructure provisioning and DevOps (coordinate with Engineering)
- Ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and incident response (coordinate with Support)
Limitations:
- Architecture designs are pre-sales artifacts; production architecture may require refinement during implementation
- Sizing calculations are estimates based on stated requirements; actual infrastructure needs depend on real usage patterns
- Migration complexity scoring uses weighted heuristics; complex legacy systems may require hands-on assessment
- Security assessment covers common enterprise requirements but does not replace formal penetration testing or compliance audits
- Scripts generate assessments and scores based on input data; they do not connect to live infrastructure
Integration Points
| Integration | Direction | Purpose | Handoff Artifact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account Executive | AE -> SA | Complex enterprise deals requiring architecture design; deal strategy alignment | Discovery notes, deal context, customer constraints, budget parameters | |
| Sales Engineer | SE -> SA | Escalation for multi-system integration design; deep technical requirements | Technical discovery output, POC results, integration specifications | |
| Customer Success Manager | SA -> CSM | Technical architecture context for post-sale onboarding and support | Architecture document, deployment specs, integration runbook, known limitations | |
| Engineering | SA -> Eng | Implementation handoff; technical feasibility validation | Architecture specification, API contracts, data flow diagrams, deployment architecture | |
| Product Team | SA -> Product | Platform capability gaps identified during enterprise evaluations | Gap analysis, feature requests with business justification, competitive capability gaps | |
| Security Team | Bidirectional | Compliance requirements, security review, certification status | Security assessment results, compliance gap analysis, remediation timelines | |
| Professional Services | SA -> PS | Implementation scoping and resource planning | Architecture document, implementation roadmap, effort estimates, risk assessment |
Workflow Handoff Protocol:
- SA receives engagement request from AE or SE with completed technical discovery template
- SA delivers architecture document within 10 business days of discovery completion
- SA participates in POC kickoff and weekly check-ins through evaluation completion
- SA delivers implementation handoff package to Engineering/PS within 5 days of deal close
Reference Materials
references/architecture_patterns.md-- Common patternsreferences/integration_guide.md-- Integration best practicesreferences/security_framework.md-- Security requirementsreferences/poc_playbook.md-- POC execution guide