Reference versus solution architecture diagrams for different audiences
Key Takeaway
Match the diagram to the audience. A reference architecture diagram gives business executives a high-level view of vision and strategy. A solution architecture diagram gives delivery teams the specific tools, integrations, and data flows.
An architecture diagram shows how the parts of a system or solution fit together. Architects, partners, and solution engineers use architecture diagrams to share a proposed design with stakeholders and the project team. The two main types are the reference architecture diagram, which gives a high-level view, and the solution architecture diagram, which gives technical detail. Your audience and your purpose decide which one you use. Diagrams keep delivery teams aligned because they act as a single source of truth about the implementation. Diagrams also help business stakeholders make the right purchasing and technology decisions.
Reference architecture diagrams
A reference architecture diagram gives a high-level overview of a system's design. Reference architecture diagrams are often used to share the vision and strategy of a solution with business executives and stakeholders.
A reference architecture diagram states best practices, identifies patterns, and outlines how systems relate to one another. The diagram leaves out technical detail.
Think of a reference architecture diagram as the blueprint of a house. The blueprint shows that the house has a bathroom. The blueprint doesn't show the color of the sink or the size of the tub.