Skip to content

01Solutions / Forward Deployed Engineering

Engineers who workclose to the problem.

Forward Deployed Engineering is how we bring technology into production for complex, real-world problems: engineers who work alongside the people who understand the problem, not from a distance.

In plain English

Not specifications thrown over a wall.

Our engineers don’t simply receive specifications and write code. They work alongside the people who understand the problem, understand the environment the technology has to operate in, and stay involved through deployment.

This helps organisations move beyond experimentation and prototypes, turning technology into reliable systems that work in the real world.

A hand reaching in to touch a node in a lattice of connected points, sending a signal outward.

02How FDE works

Five steps, one accountable team.

  1. 01

    Start with a specific problem

    One clearly defined problem, owned by the people who live with it.

  2. 02

    Work with the people closest to it

    Operators, process owners and IT, in their workflows and tools.

  3. 03

    Build and validate in the real environment

    Working software tested where it has to run, with real data and users.

  4. 04

    Measure whether it makes a difference

    Against the outcome agreed at the start, not activity.

  5. 05

    Improve and scale what works

    Refine it, extend it to more teams or sites, and move to the next problem.

03One embedded team

Your people and ours, around the problem.

Growtrics engineers and your teams define the problem together, then build, deploy and operate it in your production environment.
How Growtrics engineers, client teams and production systems work togetherGrowtrics engineers and client teams form one team. They define the problem together and exchange domain knowledge and feedback. Together they build, deploy and operate the solution in production systems, which send measurement signals back to the team.One embedded teamdefine together ↓feedback ↑build · deploy · operate ↓A / GrowtricsForward deployed engineersdiscovery · design · build · deployB / Your organisationClient teamsoperators · owners · IT · leadershipC / Live environmentProduction systemsworkflows · data · existing systems

04Engineering capacity

Three levels of FDE.

Every deployment is led by a senior FDE and sized with the levels the work needs.
  • 01Junior FDEWorks on defined components, integrations, testing, data preparation, documentation and routine troubleshooting.Build and execute
  • 02Mid FDEIndependently designs and delivers defined solutions, manages integrations and makes technical decisions within scope.Own a workstream
  • 03Senior FDETakes ambiguous business problems and turns them into deployable technical solutions. Owns architecture, technical risk and complex delivery.Own complex deployments
How we build the team

05When it makes sense

When to use FDE.

  • ·An important problem, no clear specificationYou know technology can help, but not yet exactly what to build.
  • ·A team without the capacity to shipYou have engineers, but not the bandwidth or experience to take this to production.
  • ·Pilots that never reach operationsPrototypes work in demos and stall when they meet real conditions.

06FDE vs consulting vs outsourcing

Not consulting.Not outsourcing.

A comparison of operating models: who defines the problem, who owns delivery and where the engagement ends.
Traditional consulting, traditional outsourcing and Forward Deployed Engineering compared
Traditional consultingTraditional outsourcingForward Deployed Engineering
AdvisesProvides manpowerOwns deployment
Strategy and decksExecutes instructionsHelps define the problem
Often stops at recommendationClient manages deliveryBuilds the solution
Fixed project mindsetResource managementDeploys into production
Technology may be predeterminedTechnology follows client directionTechnology selected based on the problem
Engagement ends at handoverLabour capacityContinuous improvement

07Start a conversation

Bring us the problem.

Tell us about the problem, the outcome you need and the team you have. We’ll help you work out what to build, who should build it and how to put it to work.