I’ve been reading through the Microsoft Solution Framework Process Model. The model in its current incarnation does not include a specific role of Architect. There is a Solution Architecture sub-role as part of Program Management Role Cluster.

I think the model is correct in specifying the solution architect responsibilities as:

• Owning the logical design
• Providing the link between the business and technology sides of the solution
• Custodian of the functional specification
• Ensuring traceability of features back to requirements

In addition to these responsibilities, I think the Architect could also be a valuable partner for the Product Management role in refining the requirements. Early requirements need to be refined into more specific ones. By designing the solution concept as formal conceptual architecture and linking the requirements to the components of that architecture, potentially conflicting or ambiguous requirements can be spotted more easily.

This approach places a requirement for tooling support. Linking of requirements to specific components of architecture model should be supported. In addition to the benefits for Requirements Modelling, linkage would also allow easy linkage from Test Cases via Requirements and Architecture Model to the Implementation Component that needs to be fixed.