Forward deployed engineer
A technical operator embedded close to users or customers who discovers, builds, deploys, and feeds product learning back into the company.
Useful words for people allergic to SaaS fog machines.
Field evidence
Screenshots, timings, workflow traces, interviews, data samples, exception logs, and user observations that ground product decisions.
Wedge
The smallest useful shipped change that proves or disproves a path inside the live workflow.
Productised fix
A field solution promoted into reusable product, platform, documentation, automation, or onboarding capability.
Implementation drag
The hidden cost of integrations, training, data quality, support escalations, and customer-specific work that delays value.
Human-in-the-loop
A workflow where software or AI recommends, drafts, checks, or routes work while humans retain judgement and accountability.
Operational proximity
The discipline of observing the actual work instead of relying only on requirements, dashboards, or stakeholder summaries.
Exception queue
The pile of non-standard cases where software, data, policy, or process breaks down and humans must intervene.