ICT system architect

ICT system architects design architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a multi-components system to meet specified requirements.

Excludes people performing development activities.

The following job titles also refer to ICT system architect:

ICT systems architects
ICT system architects
solution architect
IT system architect
ICT systems architect
information systems architect
IT systems architect
systems architect

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as ICT system architect. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

ICT system architect is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to ICT system architect.

ICT intelligent systems designer
software architect
knowledge engineer
3D modeller
database designer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of ICT system architect. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of ICT system architect with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of ICT system architect.

Systems development life-cycle: The sequence of steps, such as planning, creating, testing and deploying and the models for the development and life-cycle management of a system.
Hardware platforms: The characteristics of the hardware configuration required to process the applications software product.
Web programming: The programming paradigm that is based on combining markup (which adds context and structure to text) and other web programming code, such as AJAX, javascript and PHP, in order to carry out appropriate actions and visualise the content.
Business process modelling: The tools, methods and notations such as Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) and Business Process Execution Language (BPEL), used to describe and analyse the characteristics of a business process and model its further development.
Database development tools: The methodologies and tools used for creating logical and physical structure of databases, such as logical data structures, diagrams, modelling methodologies and entity-relationships.
Systems theory: The principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all hierarchical levels, which describe the system’s internal organisation, its mechanisms of maintaining identity and stability and achieving adaptation and self-regulation and its dependencies and interaction with the environment.

These skills are necessary for the role of ICT system architect.

Use markup languages: Utilise computer languages that are syntactically distinguishable from the text to add annotations to a document, specify layout and process types of documents such as HTML.
Assess ict knowledge: Evaluate the implicit mastery of skilled experts in an ICT system to make it explicit for further analysis and usage.
Align software with system architectures: Put system design and technical specifications in line with software architecture in order to ensure the integration and interoperability between components of the system.
Manage database: Apply database design schemes and models, define data dependencies, use query languages and database management systems (DBMS) to develop and manage databases.
Acquire system component: Obtain hardware, software or network components which match other system components in order to expand it and perform necessary tasks.
Design information system: Define the architecture, composition, components, modules, interfaces and data for integrated information systems (hardware, software and network), based on system requirements and specifications.
Analyse business requirements: Study clients’ needs and expectations for a product or service in order to identify and resolve inconsistencies and possible disagreements of involved stakeholders.
Apply ict systems theory: Implement principles of ICT systems theory in order to explain and document system characteristics that can be applied universally to other systems
Manage system testing: Select, perform and track testings on software or hardware to detect system defects both within the integrated system units, the inter-assemblages and the system as a whole. Organise testings such as installation testing, security testing and graphical user interface testing.
Define technical requirements: Specify technical properties of goods, materials, methods, processes, services, systems, software and functionalities by identifying and responding to the particular needs that are to be satisfied according to customer requirements.
Integrate system components: Select and use integration techniques and tools to plan and implement integration of hardware and software modules and components in a system. Apply specific testing techniques to ensure integrity during system integration.
Design enterprise architecture: Analyse the business structure and provide a logical organisation of business processes and information infrastructure. Apply principles and practices which help organisations to realise their strategies, respond to disruptions and achieve their goals.
Create data models: Use specific techniques and methodologies to analyse the data requirements of an organisation’s business processes in order to create models for these data, such as conceptual, logical and physical models. These models have a specific structure and format.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of ICT system architect. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Haskell: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Haskell.
Erlang: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Erlang.
Information structure: The type of infrastructure which defines the format of data: semi-structured, unstructured and structured.
Sas language: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in SAS language.
Agile project management: The agile project management approach is a methodology for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals and using project management ICT tools.
Ruby (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Ruby.
Common lisp: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Common Lisp.
Lisp: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Lisp.
Visual studio .net: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Visual Basic.
Java (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Java.
Computer programming: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms (e.g. object oriented programming, functional programming) and of programming languages.
Prolog (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Prolog.
Openedge advanced business language: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in OpenEdge Advanced Business Language.
Javascript: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in JavaScript.
Perl: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Perl.
Smalltalk (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Smalltalk.
Php: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in PHP.
Assembly (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Assembly.
C#: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in C#.
R: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in R.
Groovy: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Groovy.
Asp.net: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in ASP.NET.
Apl: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in APL.
Ict system integration: The principles of integrating ICT components and products from a number of sources to create an operational ICT system, techniques which ensure interoperability and interfaces between components and the system.
Task algorithmisation: The techniques to convert unstructured descriptions of a process into step-by-step sequence of actions of a finite number of steps.
Ict security legislation: The set of legislative rules that safeguards information technology, ICT networks and computer systems and legal consequences which result from their misuse. Regulated measures include firewalls, intrusion detection, anti-virus software and encryption.
Microsoft visual c++: The computer program Visual C++ is a suite of software development tools for writing programs, such as compiler, debugger, code editor, code highlights, packaged in a unified user interface. It is developed by the software company Microsoft.
Typescript: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in TypeScript.
Coffeescript: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in CoffeeScript.
Objective-c: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Objective-C.
Ml (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in ML.
Ict system programming: The methods and tools required to develop system software, specifications of system architectures and interfacing techniques between network and system modules and components.
Ajax: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in AJAX.
C++: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in C++.
Sap r3: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in SAP R3.
Swift (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Swift.
Ict project management methodologies: The methodologies or models for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals, such methodologies are Waterfall, Incremental, V-Model, Scrum or Agile and using project management ICT tools.
Matlab: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in MATLAB.
Python (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Python.
Scratch (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Scratch.
Process-based management: The process-based management approach is a methodology for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals and using project management ICT tools.
Lean project management: The lean project management approach is a methodology for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals and using project management ICT tools.
Vbscript: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in VBScript.
Cobol: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in COBOL.
Pascal (computer programming): The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Pascal.
Abap: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in ABAP.
Ict process quality models: The quality models for ICT services which address the maturity of the processes, the adoption of recommended practices and their definition and institutionalisation that allow the organisation to reliably and sustainably produce required outcomes. It includes models in a lot of ICT areas.
Scala: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in Scala.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of ICT system architect. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Provide technical documentation: Prepare documentation for existing and upcoming products or services, describing their functionality and composition in such a way that it is understandable for a wide audience without technical background and compliant with defined requirements and standards. Keep documentation up to date.
Design process: Identify the workflow and resource requirements for a particular process, using a variety of tools such as process simulation software, flowcharting and scale models.
Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
Provide cost benefit analysis reports: Prepare, compile and communicate reports with broken down cost analysis on the proposal and budget plans of the company. Analyse the financial or social costs and benefits of a project or investment in advance over a given period of time.
Use object-oriented programming: Utilise specialised ICT tools to create computer code based on the concept of an “object” which is an abstract data type encapsulated with a set of “methods”, which operate on the data.  Use programming languages which support this method such as  JAVA and C++.
Design database scheme: Draft a database scheme by following the Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) rules in order to create a logically arranged group of objects such as tables, columns and processes.
Solve ict system problems: Identify potential component malfunctions. Monitor, document and communicate about incidents. Deploy appropriate resources with minimal outage and deploy appropriate diagnostic tools.
Apply technical communication skills: Explain technical details to non-technical customers, stakeholders, or any other interested parties in a clear and concise manner.
Manage standards for data exchange: Set and maintain standards for transforming data from source schemas into the necessary data structure of a result schema.
Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
Perform resource planning: Estimate the expected input in terms of time, human and financial resources necessary to achieve the project objectives.

2511 – Systems analysts

 

 

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References

1. ICT system architect – ESCO