During the Review Board interview, the candidate's skills and qualifications are measured against seven competencies and ranked on skill maturity:
Skill Level 0 – The candidate does not exhibit the competency.
Skill Level 1 – The candidate exhibits a basic level of competency.
Skill Level 2 – The candidate exhibits partially developed skills in the competency.
Skill Level 3 – The candidate exhibits fully developed skills in the competency.
Skill Level 4 – The candidate exhibits mastery in the competency.
The seven competencies are explained in the following list.
Leadership is the demonstrated ability to articulate a compelling vision of change and to encourage others into action to achieve that vision. Leaders mentor others and establish trust with partners and stakeholders. They achieve successful results in areas of uncertainty by being proactive, and by foreseeing and mitigating difficulties. Leaders are catalysts for positive change. Criteria include the following:
Ask thought-provoking questions that translate into actionable technological patterns and solutions
Actively mentor other technology enthusiasts
Generate creative thinking that highlights a different and better perspective
Influence decision makers
Champion structure, process, best practices, and standards
Promote the acquisition and reuse of intellectual capital
Effectively build mutual partnerships and networks with organizations or other groups
Technology depth includes a detailed knowledge of the concepts, application, and issues of at least two depth competencies, and the ability to assimilate information about new technologies quickly. Examples of depth competencies include, but are not limited to, the following:
Technology breadth is an understanding of best practices in architecture and the ability to apply them across a breadth of messaging or database technologies to create a solution. Successful candidates have a vision of the future development of a technology and how it might influence current solutions. Additionally, they must be able to:
Wisely use best practices in architecture
Demonstrate a conceptual knowledge of multiple messaging or database technologies and components
Anticipate future innovations in technology and how they might be managed
Strategy relates to an understanding of project and operational frameworks and ability to use these frameworks in projects. Successful candidates understand project management principals and how architects interact with project managers and stakeholders (such as business management and IT staff) to deliver successful projects. In addition, they understand the economic aspect of projects, such as how expenses influence the possible technology choices. They must also demonstrate their ability to:
Synthesize industry-specific trends in IT
Provide operational excellence and operational frameworks, such as the Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) and the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
Demonstrate IT project portfolio management (ensure that the project fits business needs), while balancing tactical requirements against strategic requirements
Balance the requirements of the users, management, operations, support, and finance to address the strategic needs of the business successfully
Apply and integrate the value of project management frameworks and best practices, such as Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) and Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)
Organization dynamics consist of the ability to recognize and work with key stakeholders to guide a project to a successful conclusion. Successful candidates demonstrate the ability to negotiate and compromise, recognize the political landscape that influences a project throughout an organization, and influence organizational politics for the success of their projects. They must also demonstrate their ability to:
Adeptly maneuver through politically-charged organizational situations
Effectively build mutually-beneficial partnerships and networks with organizations or other groups
Maintain cooperative working relationships with architects and project stakeholders
Understand the internal legal organization and ensure that legal guidelines are met
Manage compromise and conflict with composure
Process and tactics encompass the ability to gather and refine project requirements from both a technical and business perspective. Successful candidates understand how to prototype and test a solution effectively, and display their talent to create effective project artifacts. They show the ability to support project goals throughout the project. Additional criteria include the ability to:
Envision and create an infrastructure that can be implemented and scaled, and that meets customer and legal requirements
Model the project infrastructure and manage relationships and communications between project personnel
Prototype the design and demonstrate its feasibility
Create the design artifacts that are required to deliver and to maintain the infrastructure
Oversee the development of an infrastructure through to completion
Ensure audit compliance with specifications and the overall purpose of the architecture
Monitor the ongoing implementation to identify opportunities for improvement
Refine the model as requirements change and as otherwise needed
Contribute to technical project management
Communication includes the practice of maintaining well-written and accurate project documentation, the skill required to present information about a technical subject in a concise and measured manner, and the ability to influence others. Successful candidates must also demonstrate their ability to:
Effectively listen and astutely observe
Communicate persuasively with executives, technical personnel, and others
Effectively mediate and manage conflict
Document designs and specifications according to company practices
Communicate infrastructure constraints to solutions architects
Effectively facilitate meetings
