Become a forward deployed engineer

Honest note: The eight steps follow the Forward Deployed Engineer course. Extra reading from other courses is listed at the end. It does not count towards the certificate.

1. 1

   Step 1 of 8

   Learn the role and the toolkit

   Explain what an FDE does, and know the building blocks you will use.

   Lessons0/2 done

   • ○What a Forward Deployed Engineer DoesCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer
   • ○The AI Toolkit an FDE UsesCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer

   Tool: ClaudeTool: Cursor

   Before you move on: Describe a project you could run: the problem, the sponsor, one success number and the simplest design.

2. 2

   Step 2 of 8

   Find the real problem

   Talk to the customer, watch the work and describe the problem in plain words.

   Lessons0/1 done

   • ○Discovery: Finding the Real ProblemCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer

   Tool: NotebookLMTool: Claude

   Before you move on: Interview one person about their weekly work and write the problem in three sentences.

3. 3

   Step 3 of 8

   Agree what you will build

   Write a one-page spec with a success number and a clear edge.

   Lessons0/1 done

   • ○Scoping, Success Numbers & the One-Page SpecCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer

   Before you move on: Write a one-page spec and ask someone to say yes or no to it.

4. 4

   Step 4 of 8

   Build and test a prototype

   Get something real in front of the customer within days, and prove it works on their cases.

   Lessons0/2 done

   • ○Prototyping on the Customer's Real DataCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer
   • ○Testing AI With the CustomerCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer

   Tool: CursorTool: Claude CodeTool: n8nTool: Langfuse

   Before you move on: Demo a prototype on 20 real examples, with an acceptance agreement and an error review.

5. 5

   Step 5 of 8

   Connect it to their systems, safely

   Use their tools and data without putting them at risk.

   Lessons0/1 done

   • ○Integrating With the Customer's Systems, SafelyCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer

   Tool: Model Context Protocol (MCP)Tool: Zapier

   Before you move on: List every system it touches and the least access it needs in each.

6. 6

   Step 6 of 8

   Roll out and hand over

   Train the users, leave the customer able to run it, and report the business result.

   Lessons0/1 done

   • ○Rollout, Handover & Keeping the Customer's TrustCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer

   Calculator: Automation ROI calculatorCalculator: Agent run cost calculator

   Before you move on: Write a handover checklist, and report the result in the customer's own numbers.

7. 7

   Step 7 of 8

   Communicate and keep trust

   Send clear updates, bring bad news early and say no well.

   Lessons0/1 done

   • ○Communication, Trust & Hard ConversationsCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer

   Before you move on: Write a weekly update, a bad-news message and a polite no.

8. 8

   Step 8 of 8

   Get interview-ready

   Answer scenario questions with a method, and show real projects.

   Lessons0/1 done

   • ○FDE Interviews & Case PracticeCourse: Forward Deployed Engineer

   Before you move on: Do a mock scenario interview, record it and fix your three weakest answers.