AWS Well-Architected Partner Program Well-Architected

Internal FAQ

Ongoing Program Requirements

The AWS Well-Architected Partner Program (WAPP) utilizes the
● Advanced Tier AWS Services Partner or higher
Well-Architected Framework to enable AWS Partners to establish
good architectural habits, eliminate risk, and respond faster to ● Executive Sponsor identified to integrate the Well-

changes that affect designs, applications, and workloads. AWS Well- Architected Framework into business

Architected Partners gain expertise to build high quality solutions, ● Partners must deliver a minimum of twenty reviews on
implement best practices, check the state of workloads, and make production or non-production workloads per year
improvements per business and customer needs. ● Partners must resolve a minimum of 60 high-risk issues
(HRIs) per year
Well-Architected Framework Overview
● Minimum of 2 Well-Architected Leads. Leads help to
AWS recognizes the value in educating our customers in best integrate the Well-Architected Framework into the Partner
practices for architecting in the cloud. The AWS Well-Architected business and train other technical team members in the
Framework enables customers to improve their cloud-based organization to lead reviews and remediations.
architectures and better understand the business impact of their ■ Leads must have an active Professional Solution Architect
design decisions. We address general design principles as well as Certification
specific best practices and guidance in five conceptual areas that we
■ Leads must complete a WAPP Bootcamp
define as the pillars of the Well-Architected Framework.
● Adhere to all reporting guidelines in the specified Partner
We commonly apply the Well-Architected Framework by reviewing Workflow documentation.
an existing architecture with your technical team based on the five ● Complete business integration checklist and submit
pillars: Operational Excellence, Security, Reliability, Performance project integration project plan to WAPP team.
Efficiency, Cost Optimization ● Include AWS Well-Architected as an element in go-to-
market materials.
Onboarding Program Requirements ● Submit minimum of 20 ACE Opportunities (review or
● Advanced Tier AWS Services Partner or higher remediated) tagged as ‘well-architected’.
● Executive Sponsor identified to integrate the Well-Architected
Framework into business AWS Well-Architected Partner Program Benefits:
● Minimum of 2 Well-Architected Leads. Leads help to integrate Benefit 1: Drive operational efficiency
Adopting AWS architectural best practices enables you to
the Well-Architected Framework into the Partner business and
save time, costs, drive efficiency and provide fact based
train other technical team members in the organization to lead
improvement plans to customers to track and improve
reviews and remediations.
workload compliance.
◆ Leads must have an active Professional Solution Architect
Certification Benefit 2: New customer engagements
◆ Leads must complete a WAPP Bootcamp Leverage AWS Well-Architected Reviews to identify risks,
● Adhere to all reporting guidelines in the specified Partner evaluate and improve workloads, leading to better customer
Workflow documentation. outcomes.
● Complete Executive Conversation & Sales Onboarding training Help customers take advantage of AWS Service credits to
offset high-risk issues remediation costs, as applicable
● Complete business integration checklist and provide
enabling you to build customer trust and long term business
integration project plan to AWS
relationship.
● Include AWS Well-Architected as an element in go-to-market
materials. Benefit 3: Increase your Visibility
● Conduct a minimum of 4 workload reviews (production or non- Gain visibility with customers, AWS field teams, and AWS
production) within 3 months of completing bootcamp Partners by being showcased across AWS webpages
● Resolve a minimum of 12 high-risk issues (HRIs) on production including the APN Partner Solutions Finder.
or non production workloads within 3 months of completing
bootcamp. Learn more about AWS Well-Architected Partner Program:
WAPP Wiki Program Webpage On the APN Blog
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 AWS Well-Architected Partner Program Well-Architected

Internal FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions: 8. How often should a Well-Architected Review be performed?
1. What is a Well-Architected Review? As frequent as the workload changes. Best practices continue to
An architecture review guided by business priorities to measure be updated regularly as cloud evolves and new services and best
the state of a workload compared to best practices. practices are made available.
2. What is the intent of the Well-Architected Partner Program 9. How do I track a Well-Architected Review?
(WAPP)? Well-Architected Reviews are tracked in the AWS Well-
Serves to teach and enable Partners to build secure, high- Architected Review service found in the AWS Console.
performing, resilient, and efficient infrastructure for their Milestones in workload progress are also saved there.
workloads by integrating Well-Architected as a mechanism to
10. Do customers get a copy of results?
govern architectural decisions, and compare workloads against
Yes, reviews can be performed within a customer AWS account
AWS best practices.
or in your Partner account. In either case, the workload share
3. What tiering requirements to apply to the program? feature in the Well-Architected tool can share to another AWS
• Advanced or Premier tier AWS Services Partner account.
• Minimum of 2 SA Pro Certified staff (Well-Architected Leads)
11. How does this differ from AWS Trusted Advisor?
• Executive Sponsor (SVP or higher)
Trusted Advisor is as an ongoing operational series of checklists
that look at your day to day usage. The Well- Architected review
4. How is a Confirmed WAPP Partner different from another AWS looks at your usage of AWS and how it corresponds to the tenets
Partner who is not an AWS Partner with WAPP ? of recommended utilization and deployment. While Trusted
• WAPP Confirmed Partners are required to have a minimum Advisor is different in focus, both are intended to complement
of two SA Pro Certified staff members. These two staff must each other.
attend the AWS training in the form of a Well-Architected
WAPP Bootcamp and will serve as the WAPP Leads for the 12. How do I prepare for the Well-Architected Review?
company. Who should I invite? In order to fully prepare for the questions
• WAPP Partners are actively measured based on their that will be asked and the members of your team that will need
performance with workload reviews. The KPIs used are: to be present, please review the Well-Architected Tool in the
AWS Console and White papers.
- Number of workloads reviewed
- Number of High Risk Issues (HRIs) identified 13. What are the benefits when integrating W-A in QA/QC and
- Number of HRIs resolved Customer Success programs?
- Percentage of HRIs resolved Partners have reported integrating W-A into the QA/QC process
- Percentage of workloads deployed w/o high-and eliminates customer attrition, improves brand loyalty, increases
medium risk issues, higher CSAT scores, increases professional services revenue, and
- CSAT: The W-A team measures Partners by drives new sales opportunities from existing customers and AWS
surveying customers after they have used the W-A account executives they have existing relationships with.
Funding program. On average, CSAT scores are
14. What are the benefits when integrating W-A as a standard
4.7/5.0 and is a platform for the W-A to educate the
mechanism in the pre-sales process?
PDM/PSA if there is a poor customer experience.
The W-A Framework introduces a consistent and proven
methodology to gather information, reduces scoping errors,
5. What is a workload? shortens sales cycles, increases qualified leads, get the right
A set of components that deliver business value. We rely on our people engaged in the conversation, earn customer trust, and
Partners’ expertise to help customers to scope the workload. win more business when multiple Partners don't follow W-A
Each application could contain multiple workloads. best practices.
6. What is a High-Risk Issue (HRI)? 15. What are the benefits when integrating W-A into the decision
HRIs identified in the AWS Well-Architected Tool are making process across your Architecture, Developer, and Ops
architectural and operational choices that AWS has found might practices?
result in significant negative impact to a business. These HRIs Partners who integrate the W-A Framework as a mechanism reduce
might affect organizational operations, assets, and individuals. costly rework, increase customer sat, and reduce passing off risk to
the customer. Issues that can lead to customers overpaying for
7. How long does a Well-Architected Review take?
AWS services, not realizing the benefits of AWS and your services,
The time it takes will vary according to the complexity and scope
or worse, experience an incident that has a negative business
of the workload. Most reviews will take between 2-4 hours. outcome.

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 AWS Well-Architected Partner Program Well-Architected

Internal FAQ
16. What are the benefits when integrating W-A into the post-sales 24. What if there is already an active opportunity in SFDC, does the
process? account team need to do anything to the SFDC record to make
It introduces a springboard for more conversations and sure the Partner and CSA get credit for the work?
professional services work as their workloads, applications, and Yes, on the opportunity please indicate a Partner is involved and
AWS W-A realizes new best practices and services that can help the choose Well-Architected in the campaign field.
customer realize greater value.
25. When should this funding program be introduced?
17. Do improvements from W-A reviews lead to the customer Early in the conversation with the customer.
spending less with AWS?
26. Can I disclose there is a $5K service credit available?
Customer usually ends up spending more on AWS services because
Partners can disclose AWS has funding available across its
of their level of satisfaction and value they realize from using AWS.
different Partner programs including W-A to help the customer
This increase in MOM spend varies based on how much they are
offset its cost for remediation/improvements. You cannot
spending on AWS at the time they make improvements. The lift is
disclose the amount of funding available, as this would be a
a 73% increase based on an average spend of $432 per month,
disservice to all parties based on the fact larger customers might
19% lift on an average spend of $36K, and a 7% lift on a $3.4M
see $5K as insignificant and not worth their time. The fact is there
spend per month.
is many other funding programs besides W-A that can help the
18. Is there funding available? customer and the Partner offset its costs.
Yes. Each workload a Partner removes 45% of identified HRIs is
27. Is there any order to the onboarding activities?
eligible for US$5K AWS credits. Workload must be production, a
minimum of 20 questions must be answered, and customer Yes, it is suggested the Partner Completes Onboarding in the
completes a CSAT. Questions can be across the standard WA
following order:
pillars, NOT including customer questions sets or lenses.
1. Executive Sponsor reviews the Introductory and
19. Can any Partner request the funding on behalf of their Executive Overview Webinar.
customer?
2. Executive Sponsor attends kickoff meeting (PDM/PSA
No, only WAPP Confirmed or Pending Partners can access the
and the Executive Sponsor and BD).
credits.
3. Business Development Lead and core AWS Well-
Architected sellers interacting with customers review
20. Can we apply funding to Partner owned accounts?
Sales and Operational Webinar.
Yes, when Partners possess accounts for end users. However, the
customer has to fill out the survey and pass along the service 4. W-A Partner Program (WAPP) technical boot camp.
credit voucher to the Partner. Please refer to the WAPP Wiki.
21. How does the Improvement Funding work?
28. Are Leads required to complete WAPP Bootcamp?
• AWS will provide customer up to USD$5,000 in service credits
Yes, all W-A-leads can train others in their organization after
when a qualified Partner runs a Well-Architected Review and
completing the AWS led WAPP Technical Bootcamp.
subsequently removes 45% or greater HRIs identified in a
workload. A minimum of 20 questions must be answered, and 29. Is an Executive Sponsor required to participate in the program?
can be across the standard WA pillars, NOT including customer Yes, it is highly recommended that an executive (C-suite) is
questions sets or lenses,. nominated, as it requires them to drive adoption of W-A across
• Credit is issued to the customer within 30 days of completion of multiple practices. We have experienced Partners fail to adopt W-
a CSAT survey by the customer. A when an Executive Sponsor does not have the ability to
• Usage of credits need to adhere to AWS standard T&C’s: influence others in the organization to use W-A to govern
architectural decisions.
https://aws.amazon.com/awscredits/
• There is no limit to the number of improvement funding requests 30. What is the intent of the Executive kickoff meeting?
for unique production workloads. The purpose of this meeting is to explain the program, benefits,
and discuss how the Partner will define success from adopting
22. What is the Improvement Funding Workflow integrating W-A in their business.
Review the WAPP Wiki for details instructions for the funding
31. Who can attend this?
program.
Executive Sponsor and their AWS PDM and PSA.
23. How does the Partner nominate a workload for a review?
Through APN, just like they were to log a lead. More information
on this process can be found in the WAPP Wiki.

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 AWS Well-Architected Partner Program Well-Architected

Internal FAQ
32. What are the outcomes from the meeting? 39. Are there perquisites for the W-A Leads?
Agreement to a plan on integrating the W-A program into their Yes. AWS Solutions Training for Partners: Best Practices – Well-
core business, number of reviews, dates to train the salesforce Architected as well as attending the WAPP bootcamp
and W-A Leads and Practitioners. Introductions to W-A Leads and
VP of Sales. Agreement to build a plan to integrate and scale the 40. Some engineers in some APNs took the WAPP Bootcamp in 2017.
framework through training SA Pro Cert, and managed services Must they take the WAPP Bootcamp again?
practice. Sponsors agree to complete a minimum of 20 reviews
Yes, the program and WAPP Bootcamp training has changed
annually and remediate 60 HRIs.
41. What happens if a Partner does not meet the qualifications?
33. What is required of the Executive Sponsor role?
The Partner will receive an email warning the Partner they have
Program Commitments: Number of reviews and plan to integrate
not met the minimum requirements and are at risk of being
the framework and program into their core business (Sales,
removed from the program.
professional services, and manage services practice).
42. How do Partners generate Opportunities to run W-A reviews?
34. What kind of interaction is recommended between Executive Partners are responsible for generating their own leads and
Sponsors and PDM? opportunities based on their current customer and prospect
pipelines. Leads may come from AWS depending on the Partner’s
a. The PDM involvement includes participating in executive
success in the program or by socializing customer success and
planning meetings and bi-weekly cadence with the PSA and
use cases across AWS. We highly encourage W-A Partners to
Executive Sponsor.
proactively reach out to their AWS account teams, educate them
b. PDM's should assist in driving the conversation with the on how they have integrated W-A into their business, and create
Executive Sponsor and VP of Sales and Marketing around an account plan to help customers improve their workloads
awareness and demand, defining success and goals, leveraging W-A.
execution plan including training and enablement, sales and
marketing, and plans to measure the outcomes. 43. Does the Partner charge for the review?
c. PSA own the Executive Sponsor relationship as it's someone No, reviews should be free. Some Partners may package the
from the technical C-Suite, the interaction includes: Making review with a small SOW to offset the cost of the review.
sure the Executive Sponsor in the organization has the
authority to drive the level of changes needed across the 44. Should we include the AWS account team (Account Executive
and Solution Architect)?
company (sales process, delivery, and operations),
Yes
35. What is the intent of the Sales onboarding video?
The Sales onboarding video intends to inform sellers on how and 45. Will an AWS SA get credit for a review and remediation?
why to integrate W-A into their presales and post sales processes. Yes, as long as they are actively engaged.

36. Who should watch the Sales onboarding video? 46. Who schedules the quarterly meeting with the Executive
Sponsor?
The intended audience is Partner sellers, consultants, and anyone
Partners are meeting frequently with their AWS Team. W-A
interacting with clients or selling. However, it is open to everyone
who is interested in using Well-Architected in a pre or post sales engagements, issues and blockers are discussed in those calls.
process. 47. What does the person need to know to prepare for this call?
Be prepared to share customers you have engaged with on reviews
37. What is the intent of the technical WAPP Bootcamp and remediation, forecast of customers with reviews scheduled,
The WAPP Bootcamp intends to train APN Partners who are AWS teams you are working with, and any blockers or trends.
interested in learning how to integrate W-A into their business.
Onboarding partners are required to send 2 individuals who hold 48. One of the trained W-A Tech Leads is moving to another role. Can
SA Professional Certification to a bootcamp. This is a train the we continue this program with one trained Tech Lead?
trainer model. The WAPP Bootcamp is hands-on, virtual class held No, one of the program requirements is to have two Tech Leads,
on a variety of dates/time around the world. however, the program will provide a 60-day grace period.

38. Can the Partner send others besides their two W-A-leads to the
49. How can the account team learn about a review or improvements
WAPP Bootcamp?
a Partner is making in a customer account?
Yes, as long as they have their two W-A-Leads attending or who
The W-A team provides a Field HRI dashboard that is limited to that
are already trained.
customer’s account team (TAM, SA, CSM etc). View the Field HRI
Dashboard Wiki for access information.

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 AWS Well-Architected Partner Program Well-Architected

Internal FAQ
50. Where do we recommend feature requests for the W-A Tool? 58. Can I view W-A reviews my Partners have done in their account?
Feedback is provided directly in the W-A Tool Not in the WAPP dashboard. This level of information is available
in the Field HRI dashboard and is limited to that customer’s
51. Why should I use a W-A Partner? account team (TAM, SA, CSM etc). View the Field HRI Dashboard
a. Reduce risk across a broader set of customers and workloads Wiki for access information.
b. Remediate risks by leveraging W-A Partner Funding
c. Retire Well-Architected Review goal by leveraging a Partner 59. Can I review customer reviews my Partners have done in
(CSA has to be engaged and collaborate with Partner to count) customer accounts?
d. Drive continuous education and best practices No, we cannot provide customer level information due to the
e. Identify opportunities to drive new services and AWS adoption permissions model used. Customer level information is available
f. Work directly with your Partner Success Manager, they will in the Field HRI dashboard.
introduce you to an Authorized W-A Partner.
60. Can I see who conducted the W-A review in the WAPP or Field
52. How do we measure the quality of reviews provided by dashboard?
practitioners? No, we do not know who conducted each review and have no
Reviews are measured at a high level in the W-A Tool. If Partners way to identify this. There is a review owner field, as it is a free
do a review and create a milestone on a workload, we have the text field and not be a reliable source of data.
ability to see if critical issues are being resolved. The only way we
can measure the impact from a customer perspective is through
CSAT's collected when a Partner submits a request for funding.

53. How can I engage with a W-A Partner?

To find a W-A Partner, check Partner Finder or check with the WAPP
GEO BDM listed on the WAPP Wiki to confirm the Partner is
approved to deliver reviews. If a relationship already exists with the
Partner, engage directly or reach out to your Partner Sales Manager
to engage a Partner.

54. What happens when a Partner clicks on the link to join the W-A
Partner Program?
They will be directed to the W-A Partner Program Webpage to learn
about the program and qualifications to participate. If they qualify,
they can apply on APN. Instructions are available on the WAPP Wiki.

55. If SaaS vendors do W-A review on their own workload, will the
review count towards program requirements?
Yes, a SaaS vendor is encouraged to do W-A reviews on their
workloads. The funding only applies if they use a W-A Services
Partner to assist with remediation of HRIs.

56. What is the purpose of the WAPP Dashboard?

The dashboard as it currently exists is a tool to provide the
aggregated data of the program. It also provides Partner level
information based on specific goals (# of workloads reviewed,
HRIs identified, and resolved).

57. How can I access the WAPP Dashboard?

Access the WAPP Dashboard Wiki for full details.

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