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Justifying a System Architect Role
publish date: 2026/06/11 07:14:52.353330 UTC
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You are preparing a presentation to a non-technical manager to justify hiring a dedicated system architect for a new project. Which of the following bullet points would belong in such a presentation? Select ALL that apply.
Correct Answer
(1) A system architect produces a high-level description of how the system is organised, serving as a communication focus for all stakeholders including clients, developers, and managers
(2) Making the system architecture explicit early requires analysis that reveals whether critical non-functional requirements - such as performance, reliability, and security - can be met
(3) A well-designed architecture supports large-scale software reuse and the potential for product-line architectures across related systems
(4) Architecture serves as a tool for complexity management - it hides detail and allows designers to focus on key system abstractions
(5) An architectural model provides a basis for organising the development team, assigning components to teams for parallel development
Explanation
Key justifications for a dedicated system architect: (1) architecture is a communication vehicle for all stakeholders; (2) early architectural analysis reveals whether NFRs can be met; (3) architectures support large-scale reuse; (4) architecture hides complexity and focuses effort; (5) it organises team work. A system architect does not write all the code - that is the role of the development team.
Reference
Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 10th edition