Solutions Architecture

Implementing cutting-edge technology only succeeds in delivering the promised benefits if your IT team has the right skillset. The N.C. Department of Information Technology's solution architects possess the unique skills needed to help guide state agencies' business stakeholders and project teams to make the optimal technology decisions. A solution architect's job is to understand business needs and align those needs with modern approaches for implementing technology.

Members of NCDIT's Solutions Architecture team have been in the field for a long time and have acquired expertise in multiple areas of technology. This experience spans from the development of custom applications to the entire infrastructure and operational environment where solutions and support reside.

Whether you are a small or large agency, solution architects can significantly contribute at any stage of a project. You will realize the greatest value, however, when you engage them early in the project lifecycle. 

Solution architects can help you with decisions such as:

  • Should I do this, and how?
  • Will it work with what I have?
  • Have I thought though all the questions?
  • Am I making the right technology choices?
  • Will all these pieces of technology work together?
  • Will the system meet my peak business demand?
  • Can I talk to someone to bounce off my ideas and solutions and get feedback?

Request Solutions Architecture

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Features

  • Works with project stakeholders to assess potential opportunities for technology to support their efforts and to have a positive impact on desired business outcomes 
  • Identifies capability gaps as well as transition steps and presents them in the form of deliverables and roadmaps to achieve business and technical goals
  • Quantifies and qualifies critical technology choices and how they affect business outcomes after assessing the impacts and benefits of alternative approaches
  • Advises and guides planning for the project's technical transitions to help manage project risks
  • Participates in purchase specification and evaluation activities as technical advisers
  • Provides guidance and decision support to help execution teams assess, communicate and overcome technology challenges during project delivery 
  • Helps project team leads and service owners develop plans for technical staff recruitment and skill building
  • Includes services based on the type and complexity of the project:
    • Developing an application portfolio scorecard
    • Assessing existing systems
    • Guiding, reviewing and assisting in developing the overall business case, project approach and build-or-buy decisions
    • Providing guidance on writing highly technical requests for proposals
    • Assisting with RFP evaluation, evaluating vendor solutions and selecting tools, technologies and solutions
    • Assessing alternatives and recommending solutions 
    • Providing guidance about hosting on-premises/cloud/hybrid and adoption of Amazon Web Services
    • Assisting migration of existing on-premises applications to the cloud
    • Developing a solution blueprint outlining the overall solution
    • Guiding major technology decisions during the project
    • Preparing the architecture document

Benefits

  • Have full confidence that taking a certain approach is the best way to ensure success based on recommendations from highly experienced IT professionals who know how all the pieces of technology fit together 
  • Make informed decisions on fundamental technology choices that would be costly to change once implemented
  • Obtain solution recommendations for meeting quality requirements, such as resilience, high-availability and fully redundant systems
  • Design an efficient solution that meets your business goals by combining the right mix of solution architects, processes and tools
  • Manage technology risks to the business and its operations
  • Make use of existing state assets and technologies utilized by other state agencies

Request Process

To request a solution architect, or for more information, send an email to NCDIT’s Solution Architecture team.  

Authorization

Authorization is required by the business owner of the new software system.

Requirements & Customer Responsibility

Required NCDIT Services None
Other Technical Requirements & Prerequisites None
Customer Responsibility The staff and agency receiving services are also responsible for end-user communication.

Expected Delivery

Acknowledgment Time The service team should acknowledge a service request within about 2 business days.
Turnaround Time

Turnaround time varies, depending on the complexity of the project and established project plan.

Customers

Suggested For State agencies
Required For None
Spotlight Customers
  • N.C. Department of Agriculture
  • N.C. Department of Administrations
  • N.C. Department of Public Safety
  • N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
  • N.C. Department of Information Technology
  • N.C. Government Data Analytics Center
  • N.C. Office of State Human Resources
  • N.C. Office of the State Controller
  • N.C. Office of the Governor

Support Process

Not applicable
Service Support Hours

Support for the service is available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, excluding state holidays.
Service Availability The service is available during normal business hours.
Standard Maintenance Windows Not applicable
Service Communications
Service Level Agreements Not applicable

There is no cost to the agency for this service.

Training & Help 

None

Other Related Links

None

Related NCDIT Services

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