Systems architect

The systems architect is a professional figure in information and communications technology. Systems architects define the architecture of a computerized system (i.e., a system composed of software and hardware) in order to fulfill certain requirements. Such definitions include: a breakdown of the system into components, the component interactions and interfaces (including with the environment, especially the user), and the technologies and resources to be used in the design. The Systems Architect's work must avoid implementation issues and readily permit unanticipated extensions/modifications in future stages. Because of the extensive experience required for this, the Systems Architect is typically a very senior technician with substantial, but general, knowledge of hardware, software, and similar systems. But above all, the systems architect must be reasonably familiar with the users' domain of experience (that is, the architect of an air traffic system needs to be more than superficially familiar with all of the tasks of an air traffic system, including those of all levels of users). Systems Architects interface with multiple stakeholders in an organization in order to understand the various levels of requirements, the domain, the viable technologies, and anticipated development. Their work includes determining multiple design alternatives, assessing such alternatives based on all identified constraints (such as cost, schedule, space, power, safety, usability, reliability, maintainability, availability, and so on), and selecting the most suitable options for further design. The output of such work sets the core properties of the system, and those that are hardest to change later.