We are moving our custom engineering firm toward a standardized product-line model, which makes our three bespoke client solutions architect seats obsolete. How do we restructure our Accountability Chart to transition these highly specialized technical minds into new seats without losing them to competitors or running a layoff?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Transitioning from bespoke services to productization requires a complete redesign of your delivery structure on the Accountability Chart. Do not start by looking at your current engineers and trying to find new homes for them. First, design the future-state structure that your new business model demands. This new structure likely requires seats for Product Management, Quality Assurance, and Scalable Customer Onboarding. Once you have built these seats objectively with clear roles and measurables, perform a thorough GWC™ check for your three solutions architects against the new seats. Use the Kolbe A Index to understand their conative strengths. Custom engineering typically attracts individuals with high Quick Start scores who love the adrenaline of solving unique, novel problems. Standardized product operations, however, require high Follow Thru to build repeatable systems and high Fact Finder to document technical specifications. If your engineers are high Quick Starts, they will be miserable in a rigid product maintenance seat. Instead, you might transition one into a Product Research and Development seat where they can constantly innovate the next generation of products. Another might fit into a Sales Engineer seat where they use their deep technical expertise to help close enterprise deals. The third, if they have a natural inclination for systems, can be placed in a Product Optimization seat. By matching their natural striving instincts to the newly defined seats, you retain their valuable tribal knowledge, avoid a costly layoff, and align your talent with your new scalable business model.