Which Skills Does an E-Commerce Architect Need in 2021?
E-commerce architects design and implement a commerce company’s front and backend technology stacks. They monitor the systems and resolve any complex issues. They also document design ideas that are shared with business leaders, ensuring alignment between the e-commerce system and business goals.
The position of e-commerce architect is more important than ever as many companies are suffering from technical debt that stems from using legacy commerce platforms like SAP Hybris and Oracle ATG. The new best practice is to move from these monolithic platforms to a distributed, microservices-based architecture. E-commerce architects have the skills to help businesses do this efficiently.
In this post, we’ll examine the most important skills an e-commerce architect needs in 2021.
E-Commerce Architect Skills
Service-oriented architecture (SOA)
E-commerce architects need a detailed understanding of service-oriented architecture. SOA applications use communications protocols to provide services to other components. Services are loosely coupled and less dependent on each other. This allows for faster development and better scaling.
E-commerce architects use SOA to move away from legacy platforms. Their system can then run better through the use of stateless services.
Legacy to COTS systems integration
E-commerce architects must know how to integrate legacy systems with new technologies. Legacy systems are inflexible and difficult to integrate with cloud services. There is a lack of cohesion between systems which leads to interfacing issues.
As a result, traditional replatforming is an extensive process. With knowledge of other integration styles, companies can avoid this. E-commerce architects use their knowledge of APIs to slowly break down monolithic systems. Companies can gradually build their new system, all without the trouble of a huge migration.
CX and product alignment
To create great customer experiences (CX), IT can’t be separated from the end product. They must be connected with the customer’s needs. By doing so they can create great e-commerce systems.
E-commerce architects work closely with business leaders. Together, they create technical systems that shape great product experiences.
Omnichannel order management systems
The OMS is the central nervous system of multi-channel commerce. It gives a single solution to manage inventory and orders across sales channels, passing vital information between e-commerce platforms and ERP systems.
E-commerce architects must understand how to work and optimize the OMS. This allows them to integrate the OMS with the whole e-commerce system.
Communication skills
E-commerce architects also need communication skills. They create the implementation strategy of the e-commerce system and must communicate this information to different stakeholders.
This involves creating detailed documentation. They also need to lead technical teams through the development of the architecture. E-commerce architects must be comfortable with presenting their ideas to others.
Learn More About E-Commerce Architecture
In summary, an e-commerce architect requires a robust set of skills. Beyond a strong knowledge of web technologies, you must also know how to strategize and communicate with others.
As the role grows in importance, it is likely that companies will demand more from the position. If you want to learn some important concepts needed for the role, check out our glossary of key commerce terms.
Content marketer @ fabric. Previously marketing @ KHON-TV and Paramount Pictures.
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