Architects in High Demand, Driving Tech Evolution: Nash Squared Group Digital Leadership Report 2023
Enterprise and solution architects continue to be some of the most in-demand professionals in the technology space, according to the 2023 Nash Squared Group Digital Leadership Report released this week.
The top three most scarce skills are data engineers, enterprise and solution architects, and technical architects, according to the survey of over 2000 digital leaders.
Enterprise architects have consistently featured in the “most scarce technology skills” list in the Nash survey over the last 6 years. Throughout the pandemic, architects remained in high demand as businesses grappled with upgrading technical infrastructure securely for remote work, rethinking strategies and customer journeys, and the ongoing shift to cloud-based operations.
Enterprise architect and founder of leading architecture software provider Avolution, Dr Tim O’Neill said: “A connected view of strategy, capabilities and the technology which supports business teams is something every business leader needs as they respond to change and opportunities, and that is the core skillset of the architecture team.”
“Architects provide guidance and forecasts on costs for budgeting and to make sure technology is secure and runs efficiently. The job title has stayed the same, but the skills and tools required have expanded. It is now a very data-driven profession.
“Automation tools like APIs, no-code algorithms, and integrated diagrams which auto-refresh when data is changed, have streamlined technical functions. A larger part of the architects’ day is now spent communicating, collaborating and coaching.”
The NASH report also found that headcount growth expectations have pulled back from their pandemic peak, to be more in line with the decade prior to the pandemic. However, despite macroeconomic challenges, organizations continue to invest in technology, technologists and technology leaders.
And although everyone is talking about AI, just one in ten technology leaders globally report having large-scale implementations of these new technologies.
“Many organizations are investigating AI, but evaluating capabilities, security and technical infrastructure aspects needs to be done in a holistic way,” said O’Neill. “Providing views and how a new technology will bolt on to the business, analysis of costs, risks and regulation, and understanding impacts on customer metrics, that is often the role of architects.”
Nash Squared Digital Leadership Report 2023: https://www.nashsquared.com/dlr-2023/dlr-2023
About ABACUS
Avolution’s ABACUS is used by organizations worldwide to deliver quick, powerful enterprise architecture and digital business strategy. ABACUS helps architects to lighten their data workload and to motivate stakeholders to set priorities and take action.
