Sarah Moody
18 Sept 2025
At the end of last year, I had the privilege of hosting the very first episode of the D365 Insights Podcast – and what a way to kick things off! Our topic? A deep dive into what it really takes to become a D365 Functional Solution Architect.
Joining me were two experienced professionals in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 space:
Kofi Folson, a seasoned D365 Solutions Architect & Lead with experience across global transformation programmes, and
Sarang Kusare, a Lead Functional Consultant, both with over 15 years in the industry.
Here are some of the standout insights from our conversation:
What Does a D365 Functional Solution Architect Really Do?
At its core, this role is about translating business strategy into technology – specifically, into a Dynamics 365 solution that works across departments, geographies, and stakeholders.
As Kofi described, a Functional Architect isn’t just someone who understands modules – they understand how the entire business fits together. They bring people on the journey, articulate a vision, and make sure the solution is usable, operable, and scalable.
It’s not just about designing systems – it’s about designing solutions people can actually use.
Functional vs Technical Architects
The distinction between a Functional Architect and a Technical Architect is key.
While the Technical Architect oversees the underlying tech stack, integrations, and performance, the Functional Architect is the bridge between business needs and platform capability. They speak the language of both stakeholders and developers – and help teams navigate complexity without losing sight of the business outcomes.
Top Skills Every Functional Architect Needs
Sarang shared his “unofficial top ten” list of traits every strong Functional Architect needs, including:
Business and financial knowledge
Calmness in uncertainty
Communication and active listening
Broad product knowledge with depth in at least one module
Humility – knowing when to say “I don’t know” and asking the right questions
Both guests emphasised: It’s not about knowing everything. It’s about knowing how to bring the right people together and lead a solution forward.
Misconceptions About the Role
One major misconception? That it’s just a natural “next step” after being a Lead Consultant.
In reality, the jump from Lead Consultant to Solution Architect is a big one. It requires not only technical and functional expertise, but also people management, vision-setting, and the ability to handle complexity and ambiguity across multiple workstreams.
And – crucially – the best architects never stop learning.
Career Paths into the Role
There’s no single path to becoming a Functional Architect. In fact, we explored three:
Business-to-Consulting: Those with a finance or operations background who move into tech consulting.
University Grads: Starting straight into consulting roles and building deep product and industry experience.
Tech-to-Functional: Developers who grow into functional roles – arguably the most powerful hybrid.
Advice to Aspiring Architects
The episode wrapped up with some key advice for anyone aiming to become a D365 Functional Architect:
Learn constantly – about product, finance, tech trends, and industries.
Be passionate about the platform – that passion will carry you through the hard moments.
Don’t fall in love with your solution – stay focused on what the customer actually needs.
Stay humble – and keep asking questions.
As Kofi put it: “It’s a big role. You won’t know everything. But you need to know enough to bring the right people together, protect the design, and deliver a vision.”
🎧 Want to Listen to the Full Episode?
You can catch the full episode of D365 Insights: Journey to a D365 Functional Solution Architect on your preferred podcast platform. We unpack even more: from stakeholder management and certification advice to how AI is evolving the role.
This episode is a must-listen if you’re:
An aspiring Solution Architect
A consultant looking to level up
Or just curious about how the most successful Dynamics programmes actually run
🎙️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1uaEKPHgxHyNcmrle3hu8T?si=M_Ro_uB9Qd-_V050ooLAMg
👁️YouTube: https://youtu.be/AN_RpnM4CwY?si=BWwpbeg6Y4kdMeP2
Thanks again to Kofi and Sarang for such a rich and open conversation.
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