14 July 2026 - 2026 Solution Architecture Exchange programme
The UCISA Enterprise Architecture Community recently launched their 2026 ‘Solution Architecture Exchange’ programme, successfully building on the momentum and success of last year’s ‘Architecture Exchange’ series. Their diverse panel of expert speakers shared valuable insights derived directly from their experience in the field.
Here are the key takeaways from the ‘Architecture Show and Tell’ presentation stream:
- Positioning Solution Architecture: Alison Pope (Royal Holloway, University of London) shared how solution architects uniquely bridge the gap between complex business needs and technical execution. By translating institutional goals into viable blueprints, solution architects deliver strategically aligned, secure, and regulatory-compliant digital solutions that actively mitigate risk while delivering business outcomes.
- Solidatus Metadata & Lineage: Laura Algera (University of Southampton) demonstrated how deploying advanced tools and AI can unlock deeper actionable data insights from institutional business data. This structured approach to metadata management provides the essential visibility needed to de-risk and successfully accelerate enterprise change initiatives.
- The Modern Solution Architect: Paul McDermott (Newcastle University) broke down the core skills today's architects need, as defined through professional competency frameworks like ‘Skills Framework for the Information Age’ (SFIA). He demonstrated that soft skills, due to the highly collaborative nature of architecture, are just as important as technical execution, enabling professionals to deliver high-impact value.
Further valuable insights were obtained through the ‘Thursday Method Club’ presentation stream:
- Value Network Map Architecture Pattern: Louw Labuschagne (Newcastle University) introduced the innovative ‘Value Network Map Architecture Pattern’, informed directly by the Higher Education Reference Model (HERM). This architecture framework delivers highly practical, reusable architecture "recipes" designed to successfully establish and mature the architecture capability.
- HERM and PowerBI: Shailesh Appukuttan (University of Huddersfield) demonstrated a Power BI prototype connecting five HERM reference models that encompass the business, data, application, and technology domains. This interactive mapping tool helps leadership visualise how these domains intersect during strategic conversations.
- Application Portfolio Mapping: Louw Labuschagne (Newcastle University) presented an Excel-based Application Portfolio Map (APM) tool that uses HERM to align IT assets with strategic business outcomes. A six-level hierarchy is used to organise 31 distinct application attributes into tailored spreadsheet views for different stakeholder groups. This includes an ‘Organisational Capacity’ view, ‘Internal Processes’ view, ‘Customer Focus’ view, and a ‘Financial’ view.
Additional insights were also obtained from the first meeting of the ‘HERM Architecture Exchange Forum 2026’:
- Benjamin Gill (University of Leeds) facilitated a meeting of architecture practitioners to collaborate on and refine key HERM-based reference models. Specifically, the discussions focused on developing the Business Reference Model (BRM), Data Reference Model (DRM), Application Reference Model (ARM), and Technology Reference Model (TRM).
Thank you to our brilliant presenters and facilitators for giving their time and sharing such valuable knowledge and hands-on experience.
