Systems architect and systems analyst: are these comparable roles?

The aim of this paper is to define the role of the ‘systems architect’ in the Irish telecommunications software sector and to compare it with Misic’s definition of a ‘systems analyst’ in the information systems arena. The architect definition is based on indepth interviews with practicing architects. The interview instrument is informed by social cognitive theory and the interviews were analyzed using the method of triples. The conclusion is that there are noticeable similarities between the roles, suggesting that the Irish telecommunications software sector can benefit from the computer personnel research carried out in the information systems field.