The Balncs Benchmark for FDE
Understand role calibration, six evidence dimensions, four evidence levels and responsible interpretation.
Read Benchmark guide →Research & guides
Working papers for forward deployed engineering.
Search practical frameworks, decision tools and field notes for leaders designing, assessing and hiring FDE capability.
Search the library
Search by topic, role decision or evidence dimension.
8 resources
The FDE Operating Model
Connect discovery, technical delivery, adoption and product learning in one operating system.
Read operating model →The FDE Hiring Scorecard
Turn six evidence dimensions into structured interviews and a defensible decision record.
Download scorecard →Why strong software engineers can be the wrong FDE hire
Technical depth is necessary. It is not the entire deployment job.
Read field note →The FDE scorecard
Six dimensions and the observable evidence each should produce.
Read scorecard guide →The deployment gap
Why production launch can still fail to create durable customer value.
Read deployment guide →Four FDE role archetypes
Separate the dominant unit of work before writing the role brief.
Explore archetypes →Interviewing FDEs for evidence
Inspect decisions, artefacts and consequences rather than rehearsed narratives.
Read interview guide →The first 90 days of an FDE
Build context, ship a thin slice and establish the field-to-product learning loop.
Read onboarding guide →Research method
An early signal, not a false benchmark.
Balncs is building a global FDE evidence base from structured role, deployment and market observations, with regional context where the data supports it. Until the dataset is sufficiently comparable and representative, we publish patterns, definitions and methods—not unsupported percentiles.
FDE brief review
Make the first hiring decision the right one.
Bring us the role brief, deployment motion or open questions. We will respond within two business days.