Where a software architect can go next
12 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role a software architect already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.
Software architects create the technical design and the functional model of a software system, based on functional specifications. They also design the architecture of the system or different modules and components related to the business' or customer requirements, technical platform, computer language or development environment.
Also known as software architects, software designer, application architect.
Professionals 89 skills on file 12 career moves 4 above 60% overlap Closest: numerical tool and process control programmer, 68%
- 70% and above · short step
- 50 to 70% · real move
- Below 50% · substantial retraining
Table 1 · Within reach
- numerical tool and process control programmer 68% covered · difficulty 46.1
- embedded system designer 67% covered · difficulty 45.3
- computer-aided design operator 64% covered · difficulty 52.3
- ICT system architect 63% covered · difficulty 52.4
- ICT application configurator 58% covered · difficulty 54.3
- embedded systems software developer 58% covered · difficulty 54.3
Table 2 · A bigger jump
Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.
- mobile application developer 57% covered · difficulty 56.1
- ICT application developer 54% covered · difficulty 59.3
- industrial mobile devices software developer 53% covered · difficulty 60.1
- enterprise architect 53% covered · difficulty 60.6
- knowledge engineer 52% covered · difficulty 61.4
- ICT system developer 51% covered · difficulty 62.7
Table 3 · What the job itself asks for
A software architect needs 19 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.
- oversee development of software management skills
- define software architecture communication, collaboration and creativity
- unified modelling language information and communication technologies (icts)
- align software with system architectures working with computers
- system design information and communication technologies (icts)
- object-oriented modelling information and communication technologies (icts)
- create flowchart diagram communication, collaboration and creativity
- create software design communication, collaboration and creativity
- tools for software configuration management information and communication technologies (icts)
- collect customer feedback on applications information skills
Table 4 · Jobs that lead here
The reverse view: occupations whose skills already cover much of what a software architect does. The figure is how much of this job each one brings.
- ICT system architect 66% covered · difficulty 47.5
- enterprise architect 62% covered · difficulty 51.8
- embedded system designer 59% covered · difficulty 54.1
- software developer 56% covered · difficulty 56.4
- web developer 56% covered · difficulty 56.8
- database designer 54% covered · difficulty 58.9
- mobile application developer 53% covered · difficulty 59.1
- user interface designer 53% covered · difficulty 59.7
- artificial intelligence engineer 47% covered · difficulty 65.4
- digital games designer 46% covered · difficulty 65.9
Look up another occupation
Software architect is filed under Professionals, ISCO major group 2. The full index lists all ten groups.
How these figures were compiled
Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of a software architect’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.