On smaller Salesforce projects, the Lead Consultant (LC) is usually the same person as the Solution Architect (SA). On larger projects though, it makes sense to divide this role into two.
When both roles are involved, the SA focuses on researching solutions, doing proof of concepts, and supporting the LC, and the LC is the single person responsible for the overall solution.
This means the SA is less client-facing and the LC is fully client-facing.
Further, the LC
- Is responsible for the overall design and development on the platform
- Leads user story refinement meetings and client demos
- Serves as the client’s single point of contact
- Supports UAT activities and deployments to production
Skills required include adaptive communication, empathy, problem-solving technical issues, and strong knowledge of the platform.
Possible certifications include Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, and Application Architect.
The takeaway
As projects get larger, effectively dividing the work and the responsibilities is vital. The Solution Architect can easily become overloaded.
Splitting-off the more client-facing activities and ultimate solution responsibility to the Lead Consultant increases the chances of a project’s success.