Summary
A key activity that the solution architect performs during the presales phase is to help take the information that is gained during initial customer discovery and shape it into a proposed solution. The specific amount of involvement during presales varies greatly from project to project. In some cases, the involvement of the solution architect will be to simply review what the sales team has already developed.
The solution architect, while interested in seeing the sale happen, must also ensure that the proposed solution is feasible to implement.
Key points from this module include:
Solution architects map the customer needs that are learned during discovery to a proposed solution.
A proposed solution should first use prebuilt apps and consider third-party solutions and custom development to handle gaps.
Third-party solutions can be an effective way to address gaps, but the solution architect must be vigilant in selecting an ISV and their products.
Solution architects should use demos to help communicate their proposed solution and to reduce risk of facing unknown issues.