Staffing and procurement strategies for fast flow

Organizations striving for adaptive fast flow face a common challenge: how to make staffing and procurement decisions that balance speed, expertise, and cost. While it is often tempting to assume that building everything in-house is the best option, the reality is more complex. Constraints in recruiting, budgets, and available know-how require pragmatic, context-sensitive approaches.

In this talk, I will examine how organizations can develop staffing and procurement strategies that actively support fast flow. The session will begin with the motivation behind addressing this topic, followed by a structured exploration of available options: internal teams, outsourcing (on-location, near-shore, off-shore and also AI), off-the-shelf solutions with or without customization, and Software-as-a-Service.

To support effective decision-making, I will demonstrate how Wardley Maps, Cynefin, and DDD domain classifications can be used as heuristics to evaluate which staffing and procurement approaches are appropriate in a given strategic context. Attendees will learn how to apply these perspectives to design delivery organizations that remain adaptable, resilient, and efficient over time.

Target Audience: Architects, engineering leaders, and decision-makers who are responsible for setting up and evolving delivery organizations.

Key Takeaways:

* A structured understanding of the staffing and procurement landscape
* Decision heuristics to evaluate sourcing strategies in context
* Practical guidance on combining architectural and organizational perspectives to achieve fast flow