Engineering Practice Lead Pitch

Rick Whalley

Problem: Dichotomy of AI Adoption

  • AI speeds up delivery but requires deep technical skills to catch subtle errors—skills we risk losing.
  • Generally we bill time not outcomes
  • How do we get our people using AI on client projects?

Solutions: Dichotomy of AI Adoption

  • Reframe the narrative: we're not choosing between AI and traditional engineering.
  • Protect and develop the senior engineers who provide that quality backstop.
  • Build this into how we assess and develop talent: not "can you use AI tooling" but "can you catch when it's wrong and fix it."
  • Encourage AI clauses on fall forward work

Problem: Identifying 'quiet' talent

  • Talent is fragmented across accounts; we rely on who's visible, not who's best.
  • Visibility favors extroverts; quiet, high-performing engineers are often overlooked.

Solutions: Identifying 'quiet' talent

  • Informal EPL <-> account catchups
  • Alternate routes for recognition via people leads