What does a Solution Architect Deliver?

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For those stepping into a Solution Architect role—or thinking about it—one of the first things to understand is that you're not just designing solutions. You're also responsible for producing a set of deliverables that help shape the client’s vision and guide the sales and delivery teams.

These deliverables vary depending on the opportunity, but some are foundational. Early on, you might be asked to provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM)—a high-level estimate that gives stakeholders a sense of cost and effort. As things progress, you’ll likely produce a more detailed Level of Effort (LOE) and staffing plan (aka resource plan), outlining the resources needed and how they’ll be structured across both client and partner teams.

You’ll also contribute to proposals, RFP responses, and in some cases, pricing models. These documents require a mix of technical insight, business understanding, and clear communication. They’re not just paperwork—they’re strategic tools that help win trust and business.

And then there’s the Solution Plan, one of the most important deliverables. It’s where everything comes together: context, challenges, outcomes, architecture, and approach. We’ll dive deeper into that in the next post.

What other deliverables have you found valuable in your role as a Solution Architect?