Architecture roles
Role of an architect through the delivery lifecycle
- Last reviewed
- 18 May 2026
- Owner
- Head of Architecture
As an architect you play a critical, evolving role across each phase of the delivery lifecycle. You shape the problem, guide the solution, and ensure long-term value.
In planning, inception or pre-discovery
Ask:
- what is the problem space?
- is there a problem to solve?
Focus on:
- framing the problem
- mapping stakeholder mapping
- inputting to the business case
In discovery
Ask:
- what is the problem?
- how big is it?
- can we solve it?
Focus on:
- problem statement
- goals and drivers
- conceptual views
- business/technical capability mapping
- early option thinking
In alpha
Ask:
- what are our riskiest assumptions?
- how can we release value early?
Focus on:
- solution prototyping
- capability/service/application views
- data architecture
- design assumptions and constraints
- options considered and tested
In beta
Ask:
- what should we build first and is it adding value?
Focus on:
- moving from high to low-level design, includes applications, data, integration, hosting and security
- infrastructure/network topology
- disaster recovery, logging, auditing, error handling
- managing the service and support
- recording and adjusting architecture and design decisions
In live
Ask:
- how can we continually add value to the service?
Focus on:
- continual improvement
- relationships with suppliers
- learning and future recommendations