How to judge a forward deployed engineering partner: 10 questions before you sign

1. 1.Who is accountable if the system does not reach production?

   Good answer: a named lead, and a contract tied to a production goal.

   Red flag: you pay for the hours either way.

2. 2.What do you need from us in week one?

   Good answer: a specific list, such as system access, sample data, an owner and an hour with the people who run the workflow.

   Red flag: we will figure that out together.

3. 3.How will we define success before you start?

   Good answer: one measurable goal, written into the statement of work, with how it will be measured.

   Red flag: success is described as a better experience or more efficiency.

4. 4.Who owns the code and IP, and from when?

   Good answer: you do, from creation, in your repository.

   Red flag: ownership transfers on final payment, or the partner keeps reusable components without telling you which.

5. 5.What happens to what the engineer knows when they leave?

   Good answer: decisions and runbooks written into your repository as the work goes, plus a handover gate.

   Red flag: they will stay as long as you need them.

6. 6.How is AI-generated code reviewed before it ships?

   Good answer: a written policy with a named human reviewer on every change, and stricter rules for security-sensitive code.

   Red flag: our engineers are senior, so they do not need review.

7. 7.How is the work priced, and what changes the price?

   Good answer: a clear model (outcome, milestones or retainer) and a written change process.

   Red flag: a day rate with no cap and no goal.

8. 8.Where does our data go, and who can see it?

   Good answer: it stays in your environment, accessed through accounts you control, with the legal basis for any transfer named. For EU data going to India, that means the 2021 Standard Contractual Clauses.

   Red flag: vague assurances about being secure.

9. 9.Can you show a deployment that reached production, and what broke on the way?

   Good answer: a specific story, including what went wrong.

   Red flag: only success stories, or only logos.

10. 10.When would you tell us to stop?

    Good answer: a clear condition, such as the data not existing or no owner being available, and a promise to say so early.

    Red flag: they cannot imagine a case.

Send them before the first call and ask for written answers. A partner who answers in specifics on paper will usually deliver in specifics. Score each answer as specific, vague or missing. More than two vague answers is a reason to keep looking.

We publish our answers so you can hold us to them.

• Accountability, success definition and handover: see the delivery gates.
• Code review and AI tools: see the AI-assisted development policy.
• Data and security: see security.
• Pricing models: see engagement models.

For the role itself, see what a forward deployed engineer does. For how AMT runs forward deployed engineering.