How to become an Application/Software Architect?

Name: How to become an Application/Software Architect?
Rating: 3.8 (3 reviews)

All you need to know in order to become an Application Architect

Created byCristian Bojinca

Last updated 4/2025

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Review of the Application Architect definition role definition
Provide a complete understanding of the different ways to pursue a career in IT architecture
What are the various types of IT roles under the general umbrella of IT architecture as well what differentiates them
What is the T-shape personality and how this should be changed to become an Application Architect
What are the most important skills to work on to become successful as an Application Architect
What the main changes in the job responsibilities when you switch from a Developer to the Application Architect role
What are the ways to transition to an Application Architect

Course content

6 sections • 26 lectures • 2h 53m total length

Welcome4:59
About the course8:54

Application Architecture9:23
Position application architecture as the second subdomain of enterprise architecture, aligning business services with application services, components, and layers to form blueprints evaluated against non-functional needs and vendor considerations.
Application Architect role definition5:48
Define the application architect as the designer of applications, services, and components that automate a business process, collaborating with enterprise and solution architects to align, document target states and gaps.
Application Architect role responsibilities6:45
Explore the application architect role responsibilities, designing high-level architecture from functional and non-functional requirements, detailing constraints and assumptions, mapping component interactions, and communicating with stakeholders.
Typical application architecture diagrams6:42
Explore typical application architecture diagrams that link business functions to application services and components. See how dependencies, realizations, and sequence and component diagrams illustrate how the architecture is realized.
Application Architect role

Description2:56
Applicability5:01
Apply professional concept to both business and technology contexts; an application architect bridges business and technology, understands lines of business, communicates the business value, and builds trust with cross-functional teams.
Application Architect's depth12:41
Level of detail8:28
IT Practitioner roles and Application Architect2:33
Expand from software developer to application architect by widening architectural breadth across business, data, and technology. Apply IT practitioner rules to connect business capabilities, functions, and services with higher-level architecture.

Where to start?6:00
Application Architect and Developer relationship4:05
Partner with developers to shape the application architecture through high-level design, coordinate work, and document major decisions guiding implementation with proven design patterns.
Understand the role4:50
Preparation: work on architecture depth2:13
Prepare to become an application architect by expanding architectural depth through hands-on projects across languages and business domains, while mastering the software development lifecycle, environments, deployment, minimal architecture, and patterns.
Preparation: work on architecture breath4:44
Explore architectural breadth by using multiple modeling languages and diagrams to document systems, correlating design with code across infrastructure, data, and business domains to become an application architect.
Preparation: Understand levels of detail3:59
Tailor the level of detail for business and technology stakeholders as you transition from developer to application architect, mastering levels zero through two and minimal depth.
Preparation: Soft skills11:04
Sharpen your soft skills to transition from developer to application architect by practicing leadership, communication, and presentation, while selling detailed designs to stakeholders and following a personal development plan.
Preparation - Other domain architectures7:07
Prepare for the transition to the application architect position by understanding the other domain architectures such as business, data and infrastructure/ technology architecture and how they interact with the application architecture.
Developer vs Application Architect roles

Prepare first8:22
Prepare thoroughly before pursuing an application architect role by balancing technical modeling skills, soft leadership abilities, and business domain knowledge to strengthen your candidacy.
Out of role assignment8:53
Choose an out of role assignment to become an application architect by shadowing the architect and proving your capabilities while keeping current duties, with preparation and soft skills.
Get a new Application Architect job6:56
Explains how to pursue a new application architect job through preparation, shadowing a current architect, and using courses to bridge gaps, with manager support and coaching.
Architecture certifications7:15
Explore architecture certifications that demonstrate your ability to model different scenarios and boost your prospects for an application architect role.
Wearing multiple hats6:56
Going back8:14
Assess the fit for becoming an application architect, avoid inflating your resume, and navigate career changes by researching, networking, and considering backtracking to development or other roles.
Ways to become Application Architect

Requirements

Understand the IT industry and the various IT practitioner roles such as: Developer, Systems Analyst, Quality Assurance Analyst, etc.
“Introduction to the IT Architect role” course to get a better understanding of the various IT Architect roles
"Architecture design, modelling and technical skills for IT Architects” course to know what are the general and technical skills and competencies required to become a successful IT Architect
"Soft skills and competencies for IT Architects and IT practitioners to understand what are the soft skills such as leadership, communication, presentation, facilitation, etc. required to become an Application Architect.
"Documents produced by IT Architects to understand what are the documents that an Application Architect will need to produce, how to collect and present the information.

Description

The “How to become an Application Architect” course will review of the Application Architect definition role definition and provide a complete understanding of the different ways to pursue a career in IT architecture, what are the various types of IT roles under the general umbrella of IT architecture as well what differentiates them, what is the T-shape personality and how this should be changed to become an IT Architect, what are the most important skills to work on to become successful as an Application Architect, what the main changes in the job responsibilities when you switch from a Developer to the Application Architect role as well as what are the ways to transition to an Application Architect.

The prerequisite for this course is to understand the IT industry and the various IT practitioner roles such as: Developer, Systems Analyst, Quality Assurance Analyst, etc. It is advisable to have worked in the IT industry as a developer /programmer.

I would also recommend the following courses from the “How to become an IT architect” program:

“Introduction to the IT Architect role” course to get a better understanding of the various IT Architect role “

“Architecture design, modelling and technical skills for IT Architects” course to know what are the general and technical skills and competencies required to become a successful IT Architect

"Soft skills and competencies for IT Architects and IT practitioners to understand what are the soft skills such as leadership, communication, presentation, facilitation, etc. required to become an Application Architect.

"Documents produced by IT Architects to understand what are the documents that an Application Architect will need to produce, how to collect and present the information.

"IT Architecture specific knowledge (frameworks and methodologies) to understand what are the IT architecture frameworks, methodologies modeling languages, etc. used by an Application Architect to produce documentation.

Who this course is for:

IT Practitioners preferably with a developer background such as: Software Developer, Programmer, Analyst who would like to become Application or Software architects or would like to know more about the role.

How to become an Application/Software Architect?

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction2 lectures • 14min

Application Architecture4 lectures • 29min

T-Shape Concept & Architecture level of detail5 lectures • 32min

Developer vs Application Architect roles8 lectures • 44min

Ways to become Application Architect6 lectures • 47min

Conclusion1 lecture • 9min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: