Becoming a technology evangelist and thought leader
Technology evangelism is about being an expert in advocating technology and your product. Some organizations with an extensive product base roll out a separate technology evangelist role. Still, a solutions architect often needs to assume the role of an evangelist as part of their job. As a technology evangelist, you must be aware of current technology trends to understand real-world problems and advocate for your technology to solve business concerns.
Technology evangelism involves participating in an industry conference as a public speaker and promoting your platform. It allows you to become a thought leader and an influencer, which can help the organization increase its platform and product adoption. Public speaking is one of the critical skills required for a solutions architect to interact on various public platforms and present in front of large audiences.
An evangelist also creates and publishes blog posts, whitepapers, and microblogs to advocate their product. They socialize the content to increase adoption and interact with users to understand their feedback. An evangelist works backward from the customer and communicates feedback to the internal team to help make the product better. With time, as an evangelist, you will refine the message that works in the organization’s best interests.
A solutions architect is a role with multiple responsibilities, and taking more ownership will help you succeed in your career.