When you first hear the term solutions architecture, you might think of architecture in terms of grand design homes and iconic buildings. Bring solutions into the equation, and it may make you think of interior design. But that’s far from it. So, what do we mean by solutions architecture? Read on to find out.

 

What is solutions architecture?

Solutions architecture is a term used in information technology (IT). Simply put, it defines the tailored software solutions provided to help teams develop and complete projects on time and within budget whilst providing technical solutions to support the business goals. Essentially it bridges the gap between business problems and technological solutions. An example of solutions architecture includes the development of cloud infrastructure for efficiency.

 

Goals of solutions architecture

Some of the main goals of solutions architecture include

• Finding and providing the best technological solution to business problems.
• Identifying opportunities in which IT can support to achieve business goals.
• Work with businesses to improve current IT implementation and strategies.
• Brainstorm and communicate potential solutions to clients for development.

Overall, solutions architecture helps to ensure new technology systems fit into your existing business environment whilst also thinking ahead. This brings us to our next point – why solutions architecture is important.

 

Why is it important?

Consulting firm McKinsey stated in one of their articles that “large software projects on average run 66 per cent over budget and 33 per cent over schedule; as many as 17 per cent of projects go so badly that they can threaten the very existence of the company.”  So, to answer the question – why is solutions architecture important? The answer is that it helps mitigate such concerns and scenarios by providing technical solutions. In turn, enabling you complete projects on time and within budget.

Below are some ways in which it can help you in your next project.

• Design a tailored solution to fit the current business environment and assist your team in its implementation.
• Provide the most feasible technical solution to meet the project goals after identifying the main aspects of the project.
• Provide the most suitable technology stack for the project.
• Analyse and comply with non-functional requirements (security, performance, reliability, and so on) of a project to ensure the final project outcome meets each one.
• Fill in communication gaps by translating technical project details into layman’s terms for the non-tech minds in the business.
• Helps you to estimate and stay within the budget whilst meeting stakeholder requirements.
• Manage and help avoid risks by testing user experience, security, and performance.
• Proactively respond to the ever-evolving rapid changes in IT and business so you can stay up to date, if not ahead of the game.

 

Solutions architecture within aerospace and defence

Having the right systems and tools in place helps improve experiences and decision-making in any industry; this also applies to the aerospace and defence industries. With the right digital assets and solutions architecture, you can manage projects from beginning to end whilst remaining within budget and meeting compliance. You also benefit from receiving accurate data to deliver greater efficiency to your operators. Quartek’s experienced team can deliver uniquely tailored software solutions within the aerospace and defence industries.

A few ways in which we are seeing software change the aerospace industry include:

• Offering more cost-effective production processes.
• Enabling evolution whilst being cost-effective.
• Software modelling and testing allow you to fix and identify problems early, saving time and money.

 

Software and automation services offered by Quartek

At Quartek, we provide process-driven and delivery-focused services, specialising in applied engineering and analysis, consulting and advisory, project management and integration, and software and automation.

The software and automation services we offer include

• Solutions architecture: At Quartek, we offer the capability to review software design from early concepts to established solutions. We can assist from one-off whiteboard sessions to collaborating on full design briefs/specifications.
  – User Experience Review
  – Concept Whiteboarding
  – Solution Design
  – Risk and Safety Analysis

 

• Data solutions: Businesses are storing, organising, and gaining insights from a variety of data sources. With this in mind, our experienced team provides solutions that cover data storage, processing, and analytics.
  – Realtime Analytics
  – AI/ML Solutions
  – Data Pipelines
  – Data Lakes/Warehousing

 

• Full-stack app development: Our team specialises in modern mobile and web app development, including user experience design, backend and frontend development, data
  services and user interfaces hosted on cloud platforms.
  – Mobile Apps
  – UX/UI Design/Development
  – APIs Development, Integration
  – Database Design, Optimisation
  – Microservices, Containerisation
  – DevOps and Cloud Infrastructure

 

• Software engineering: We can deliver software development and test solutions for your embedded systems and electronic hardware, with experience in algorithms
  and edge computing.
  – Firmware, Embedded Software Development
  – Test Automation
  – Code Optimisation
  – Git/Version Control

We offer a range of engagement models to suit your requirements. Whether you need complete work packages carried out independently, application development, temporary staff on-site, or an on-call help-desk arrangement, Quartek can adapt to your needs to ensure successful delivery.

 

Complete and deliver projects successfully

Having a solutions architect on your project provides you with a greater chance of completing and delivering projects with enormous success. Contact our team today to find out more.