I'm curious how often you find that people get actionable information from outside that they couldn't have discovered with better introspection or understanding of the basics. I'm in a similar role and find that people want validation of working systems due to some new person casting shade, have a desire for more exotic technology, or just want people to shoot the breeze with peers on these topics. The answers to their actual problems are often staring them in the face, but are too mundane or boring to accept. Given the pressure to deliver, they'd be better off focusing on the basics for their stakeholders which is the place I try to get them to.
I agree that having a bit more involved discussion will lead to a more informed opinion. From my experience of working as an architect for more than a decade, finding someone with domain knowledge would help a lot if depth is important. A generalist can help validate the design decisions at a high level or suggest alternatives when appropriate.