Solution Architecture Design Pillars for Dynamics 365 Implementations

Solution architecture is a systematic approach to designing a solution that meets your needs and goals. It involves identifying the essential elements of your solution and how they fit together — turning your vision into a plan.

A solution architect guides and oversees this process, working with business and IT teams to understand requirements, scope, and budget while creating and maintaining the blueprint of the solution.

The Design Pillars

1. Define Your Vision

Your vision is the big picture of what you want to achieve. It should be aligned with your business strategy and goals, providing direction for all subsequent decisions.

2. Outline Your Business Processes

Business processes are the activities and tasks that your solution supports or enables. They should be mapped to your vision and optimised for efficiency and effectiveness.

3. Determine Your People

People are the users and stakeholders of your solution. They should be identified, engaged, and empowered — understanding how they are connected in and around your organisation is critical.

4. Know Your Data

Data is the information that your solution collects, stores, and analyses. It should be relevant, accurate, and secure throughout the solution lifecycle.

5. Develop a Solution Strategy

Your solution strategy describes how you will use Dynamics 365 apps and other technologies to build and implement your solution. It should be aligned with your solution architecture and best practices.

Further Reading

Microsoft provides detailed guidance on each pillar, as well as related topics including project management, change management, governance and control methodologies, and creating functional and technical design documents.

Source: Solution architecture design pillars – Microsoft Learn