In the Salesforce ecosystem, the Enterprise Architect (EA) has the widest technical view. They see the complete end-to-end architecture, and are not limited to just the CRM.
This means they understand and are responsible for
- The purpose and high-level features of each system connected to Salesforce
- The types of integrations between systems
- Choosing tools and app used across systems
They are very technical, are able to discuss approaches with fellow architects, and ensure fellow architects are aligned. This usually means hosting meetings to review the release strategy of each system, ensuring system dependencies and risks are well-documented, and directing the overall technical landscape.
For example, I’m working with a large-scale client that has
- Salesforce as their CRM
- A Digital Experience Portal (DXP)
- A Human Capital Management (HCM)
- An Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW)
- An integration system (Mulesoft)
The EA is responsible for technically aligning these systems and lead architects. If a feature is required by one system and provided by another, the EA organizes the release management of each system.
As you may have guessed, smaller Salesforce projects don’t usually require an EA. These individuals tend to appear on large-scaled implementations.
The takeaway
Becoming an EA takes years of knowledge and practice. You need to have proficiency in multiple domains, and be able to share your clear vision of the future system landscape.