Welcome! I'm Ryan, an Enterprise Architect with 25 years of experience in the Microsoft and Azure ecosystem. For the past 15 years, I've specialized in consulting, guiding organizations through complex digital transformations.
This blog is designed to share practical insights and battle-tested strategies from my journey, helping you accelerate your expertise and elevate your career in architectural consulting.
What's "Architectry"?
You might be wondering about the name "Architectry." It's a term I coined to blend "Architecture" with "Artistry." Think of it this way: while architecture provides the foundational structure, logic, and precision required for robust solutions, artistry injects creativity, elegance, and innovative thinking. It's about not just building something that works, but building something beautifully, efficiently, and with foresight. This blog is dedicated to mastering both the science and the art of enterprise architecture, ensuring our solutions aren't just functional, but truly inspired!
TRAIT #1
Consultant Mindset: Adviser vs. Implementer
Early in my career, I was the eager problem-solver who jumped straight into "solutioning." A client would mention a challenge and I'd immediately start sketching out an architecture. Over time, I realized this implementer mentality was holding me back. Great architects adopt a consultative mindset – they act as advisors, not just implementers. Now, instead of rushing to deploy the coolest new service, I pause and ask "why" before "how." What is the business context? What is the client really trying to achieve? This mindset shift from solution-provider to trusted advisor means prioritizing the client's success over showing off technical wizardry. It takes a bit of confidence (to ask tough questions and sometimes push back on assumptions) and a lot of empathy (to see the problem through the client's eyes). I've found that when I start by understanding the client's goals and challenges, the solutions I later propose hit the mark more often.
Ask "Why" First
Understand business context before jumping to solutions
Build Trust
Prioritize client success over technical wizardry
Speak Business
Frame recommendations around ROI and outcomes
Adopting a consultant mindset also meant learning to speak the language of business, not just tech. It's easy to get comfortable talking about virtual networks and Kubernetes, but I had to push myself to discuss ROI, growth, and customer experience. In fact, one mentor reminded me that to truly be a trusted advisor, an architect must understand the client's industry and business drivers, not just the technology, and be able to converse in business terms. That advice was golden. Once I began framing my recommendations around business outcomes (e.g. "this data solution can improve your marketing conversion rate" instead of "let's build a data lake"), I noticed clients' eyes light up. I was no longer just the tech guy—I was a partner in their journey. This consultative mindset builds tremendous trust. Clients see that I care about their success, not just delivering a project, and that's the foundation of becoming their long-term advisor.
Let's build a data lake!
Let's improve your marketing conversion rate!
TRAIT #2
Technical Breadth with Depth
In the Azure world, I've learned to become a T-shaped professional: broad knowledge across many services with deep expertise in a few. When I started out, I specialized in one or two Azure services and stuck to them. That made me a decent implementer in narrow domains, but a world-class consultant needs a wider lens. Now, I make it a point to maintain broad familiarity with the entire Azure ecosystem – from apps to data, AI to DevOps – while still honing expertise in my favorite areas. A former colleague once told me, "know your own strengths; be an expert in a couple of tech areas, but have a broad understanding of everything." That really resonated with me. Having breadth means I can see the big picture of how pieces fit together into an end-to-end solution, and I can speak the language of various specialists (whether it's a security architect or a data engineer) to collaborate effectively. At the same time, depth in core areas gives me the credibility and skill to dive in and solve tough problems when needed. It's a balancing act, but it's crucial.
The T-Shaped Advantage: World-class consultants pair breadth with depth – they can venture into any conversation about Azure at a high level, then drill down and get their hands dirty when deep expertise is needed, all while keeping the solution aligned with the client's needs.
Staying broad and deep is not a one-time achievement – it's an ongoing commitment. Azure is a living, breathing platform that evolves rapidly. New services and features come out all the time. To keep up, I've made continuous learning a habit so I can stay ahead of the curve[3]. This might mean experimenting with a new Azure service in a side project, or taking on an Azure certification in a domain outside my comfort zone to expand my horizons. It's admittedly a lot to learn, but every bit of new knowledge is another tool I can use to help a client. I've seen that world-class consultants pair breadth with depth – they can venture into any conversation about Azure at a high level, then drill down and get their hands dirty when deep expertise is needed, all while keeping the solution aligned with the client's needs. That versatility is a huge differentiator in our field.
TRAIT #3
Consulting Presence & Communication
Technical know-how aside, consulting is a people business. One trait I had to consciously develop was a "consulting presence" – essentially, how you carry yourself and communicate as a trusted expert. Early on (very early on), I was the quiet engineer in meetings. But I noticed the consultants I admired had a certain presence: they listened intently, spoke with clarity, and could tell a story around their solutions. So I worked on it. Now, whenever I'm with clients, I aim to be part teacher, part storyteller, and part collaborator. For example, if I'm proposing an Azure architecture, I don't just rattle off component names; I tell a story or present a simple roadmap of how we'll get from their problem today to a solution tomorrow. I try to translate a complex technical journey into a straightforward plan that any stakeholder can grasp. This often means using analogies, visuals, or real-world examples to make the solution click. When you frame your architecture as a narrative that ties into the client's vision, you keep them engaged and confident in the path forward.
01
Listen Actively
Tune in to client concerns and read the room
02
Tell Stories
Frame architecture as a narrative tied to client vision
03
Adapt Communication
Adjust technical depth based on audience needs
04
Build Trust
Handle skepticism with patience and facts
Another aspect of consulting presence is communication and empathy in every interaction. I've made it a habit to practice active listening – truly tuning in to the client's concerns and reading the room. This helps me adjust my communication on the fly: some audiences want the high-level vision, others appreciate a bit of technical detail, and some just need to know the risks and mitigations. Being adaptable is key. I remember running a workshop for a client's leadership team – halfway through, I realized they were getting lost in technical jargon. I paused, refocused the discussion on their core question (how this solution would improve their customer experience), and re-explained my Azure architecture in plain business terms. The difference in engagement was night and day. Moments like that taught me that architecture is abstract by nature; our job as consultants is to make it tangible and relevant. I also learned not to shy away from tough questions or skepticism. Great consultants handle skeptical stakeholders with patience and facts, and that's something I strive to do. Ultimately, clients might not remember every Azure service I mentioned, but they will remember how I made them feel during the engagement. Were my explanations clear and reassuring? Did I seem genuinely invested in their success? I want those answers to always be "yes," because that's how you build trust.
And in consulting, trust is everything.
TRAIT #4
Obsession with Client Impact
If there's one trait that truly separates a good architect from a great consultant, it's an obsession with delivering real client impact. I don't mean just delivering the project (though that's important too); I mean focusing relentlessly on the business value our work provides. I've made it a personal rule that at the start of every engagement, I explicitly ask, "What does success look like for you?" Maybe they need to increase revenue, reduce costs, improve user satisfaction, or mitigate a risk. Whatever it is, I write those metrics down and keep them front and center. This habit changed the game for me.
"We're not just implementing Azure tech; we're enabling outcomes the client cares about."
For example, I once led the build of an Azure data platform. In pure tech terms, we stood up a data lake, pipelines, the works. But when presenting to the client, I framed it as "we're enabling your marketing team to get customer insights in minutes instead of days, which could boost your sales conversion by 5%." See the difference? We're not just implementing Azure tech; we're enabling outcomes the client cares about. Keeping that mindset ensures the technology remains a means to an end (the end being the client's goals), never the end itself.
This client-value focus also affects how I measure my success. A principle I live by is: clients hire us to solve problems, not just to deploy tech. So I constantly ask myself, "How will this architectural choice make the client's business better?" If I can't answer that clearly, I know I need to rethink the approach. I've also learned that being transparent and reliable is part of delivering impact. If there's a trade-off or risk in the design, I'll speak up about it. If I promise to deliver something by Tuesday, I make sure it's done by Tuesday. Those small things build trust, which in turn allows our recommendations to actually be implemented and create value. One consulting leader once said, "What differentiates each person is their ability to demonstrate how they can use their skills to help clients achieve their goals and solve problems." I couldn't agree more. At the end of the day, the architectures and diagrams we produce are fleeting – cloud tech moves on in a year or two. But the business impact we deliver and the problems we solve for our clients? Those are lasting. That's the legacy I aim to leave with every project: not just a well-architected Azure solution, but a meaningful result for the client's business.
TRAIT #5
Growth & Reflection
The best Azure consultants I know (and aspire to be) all share one thing in common: a growth mindset. They treat their career as an ongoing project, always tuning and improving. In my own journey, I've made it a habit to regularly reflect on my experiences and seek feedback. After each major project, I'll ask the team and the client what went well and what I could have done better. It's not always easy to hear the critiques, but it's incredibly valuable. In one early project, I got feedback that my documentation was too technical for an executive audience. Ouch! But I took that to heart and worked on my executive summaries. The next project, I got complimented on how clear and business-friendly our report was. That kind of improvement cycle is addictive. Beyond feedback, I also invest in personal development continuously. In the past year, for instance, I pursued an Azure AI certification because I noticed more clients asking about AI solutions. I've also attended workshops on soft skills like negotiation and facilitation to round out my skill set. There's always something new to learn, whether it's a technology or a better way to interact with people.
Set Goals
Learn one new skill each quarter
Seek Feedback
Ask clients and teams for improvement areas
Invest in Learning
Pursue certifications and workshops
Track Progress
Measure growth with career metrics
I genuinely believe that staying stagnant is not an option in our field. Azure and the cloud industry evolve so rapidly that if you stand still, you fall behind. Microsoft's ecosystem is vast, with new services and patterns emerging all the time. I actually enjoy this aspect – it means there's always a new challenge to tackle. I remind myself (especially on those weekends studying for an exam!) that continuous learning and adaptability aren't just nice-to-have; they are essential to remain relevant as an Azure consultant. To keep myself honest, I even set growth metrics like I would for a project. For example, I aim to learn at least one new significant skill each quarter, or I set a goal to mentor a certain number of junior colleagues each year to refine my own leadership. Some peers I know track their client satisfaction scores over time or keep a "career journal" of lessons learned from each engagement. These are great practices. The point is to be intentional about your growth. Every bit of improvement not only makes you more skilled but also more confident and adaptable for the next client challenge. In the end, this commitment to growth ensures that year after year, I'm becoming more of the well-rounded, trusted advisor that my clients need me to be.
Crafted with Architectry by Ryan Wilson - November 1st, 2025
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