{"id":14667,"date":"2026-10-23T14:18:25","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T08:48:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/?p=14667"},"modified":"2026-10-27T17:56:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T12:26:05","slug":"forward-deployed-designer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/forward-deployed-designer\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Engineering: Forward Deployed Designers, Analysts, Security Engineers and Ops Roles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> is a job title few people had heard of a year ago. Now it appears next to the forward-deployed engineer (FDE) in listings from AI startups and large platforms. With Scaler&#8217;s FDE launch announcement citing 729% year-on-year growth in demand for forward-deployed roles, the model is spreading beyond engineering into design, analysis, security, and operations. This guide explains what each of these roles does, how they differ, and what it takes to move into one, whether you are an engineer, a designer or an analyst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-does-%e2%80%9cforward-deployed%e2%80%9d-mean-beyond-engineering\"><\/span><strong>What Does &#8220;Forward Deployed&#8221; Mean Beyond Engineering?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Forward-deployed roles embed a specialist inside a customer&#8217;s environment to make a product work under real conditions. Palantir created the model with the FDE, and the same logic now applies to other functions. A <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> sits beside engineers in the customer&#8217;s workflow instead of handing over mockups from a distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-a-forward-deployed-designer\"><\/span><strong>What Is a<\/strong> <strong>Forward Deployed Designer<\/strong><strong>?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> is a designer who works directly with customers to understand a workflow, prototype a solution, and help ship it. Listings describe designers who join client scoping conversations, turn requirements into workflows and prototypes, and work alongside FDEs through implementation and QA. One legal software listing, from Norm AI, also asks the designer to spot when a client-specific solution should become a reusable product component.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scope varies. One listing for a real estate AI assistant describes a <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> running on-site workshops and a rapid daily design loop, measured on adoption and satisfaction scores. A <strong>forward deployed product designer<\/strong> listing frames the job as bridging customer needs, product strategy and engineering, designing intuitive experiences for complex operational workflows. The craft behind all of it is user empathy; Scaler Topics&#8217; primer on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/topics\/empathy-in-design-thinking\/\">empathy in design thinking<\/a> is a good starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"do-you-need-to-code-to-be-a-forward-deployed-designer\"><\/span><strong>Do You Need to Code to Be a<\/strong> <strong>Forward Deployed Designer<\/strong><strong>?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not always, but prototyping fluency helps. Some listings expect designers to build working workflows with AI tools and ship them, not just draw screens. A <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> who can test a prototype with real users and hand engineers something close to buildable stands out. Read the listing, because the same title covers different jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n<meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\n<meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\n<title>Scaler Carousel<\/title>\n\n<!-- Plus Jakarta Sans Font -->\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Plus+Jakarta+Sans:wght@400;500;600;700&amp;display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<!-- Swiper CSS -->\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.css\">\n\n<style>\n.scaler-carousel {\n  font-family: 'Plus Jakarta Sans', sans-serif;\n  max-width: 900px;\n  margin: 24px auto;\n  padding: 0;\n  box-sizing: border-box;\n}\n.scaler-carousel *,\n.scaler-carousel *::before,\n.scaler-carousel *::after {\n  box-sizing: border-box;\n}\n\n\/* Header *\/\n.scaler-header {\n  text-align: center;\n  margin-bottom: 20px;\n}\n.scaler-header-title {\n  font-size: 22px;\n  font-weight: 700;\n  color: #1a1a2e;\n  margin: 0 0 6px;\n  line-height: 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#ffffff;\n}\n.scaler-card-btns button svg {\n  flex-shrink: 0;\n}\n\n@media (max-width: 1000px) {\n  .scaler-carousel { max-width: 96vw; }\n}\n<\/style>\n\n\n<div class=\"scaler-carousel\">\n  <div class=\"scaler-header\">\n    <h2 class=\"scaler-header-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"transform-your-career\"><\/span>Transform Your Career<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n    <p class=\"scaler-header-subtitle\">Choose from our industry-leading programs designed for career success<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"swiper scaler-swiper\">\n    <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n\n      <!-- CARD 1 -->\n      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n        <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n          <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n              <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" 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stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n <!-- CARD 2 -->\n      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n        <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n          <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n              <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><polyline points=\"16 18 22 12 16 6\"><\/polyline><polyline points=\"8 6 2 12 8 18\"><\/polyline><\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n              <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">AI Forward Deployed Engineer with Specialisation in AI applications<\/h3>\n              <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Build and deploy AI solutions for real-world business problems<\/p>\n            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class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/4\/42\/Paytm_logo.png\" alt=\"Paytm\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <span class=\"scaler-logo-more\">+1000 more<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n            <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/ai-forward-deployed-engineer-course\/', '_blank')\">\n              Go to Program\n              <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <!-- CARD 3 -->\n      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n        <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n          <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n              <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><ellipse cx=\"12\" cy=\"5\" rx=\"9\" ry=\"3\"><\/ellipse><path d=\"M3 5v14c0 1.66 4.03 3 9 3s9-1.34 9-3V5\"><\/path><path d=\"M3 12c0 1.66 4.03 3 9 3s9-1.34 9-3\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n              <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">Modern Data Science and ML with specialisation in AI<\/h3>\n              <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Advanced data science techniques with AI specialization<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">12 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2f\/Google_2015_logo.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/a\/a9\/Amazon_logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/4\/42\/Paytm_logo.png\" alt=\"Paytm\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <span class=\"scaler-logo-more\">+1000 more<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n            <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/data-science-course\/', '_blank')\">\n              Go to Program\n              <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <!-- CARD 4 -->\n      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n        <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n          <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n              <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 2L13.5 8.5L20 10L13.5 11.5L12 18L10.5 11.5L4 10L10.5 8.5L12 2Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n              <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">Advanced AIML with Specialisation in Agentic AI<\/h3>\n              <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Deep dive into AIML with focus on Agentic systems<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">12 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2f\/Google_2015_logo.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/a\/a9\/Amazon_logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/4\/42\/Paytm_logo.png\" alt=\"Paytm\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <span class=\"scaler-logo-more\">+1000 more<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n            <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/ai-machine-learning-course\/', '_blank')\">\n              Go to Program\n              <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <!-- CARD 5 -->\n      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n        <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n          <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n              <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\">\n                <path d=\"M17.5 19H9a7 7 0 1 1 6.71-9h1.79a4.5 4.5 0 1 1 0 9Z\"><\/path>\n                <path d=\"M9.2 15.2a3 3 0 1 0 4.24-4.24\"><\/path>\n              <\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n              <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">DevOps, Cloud &amp; AI Platform Engineering<\/h3>\n              <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Build and manage AI-powered cloud infrastructure<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">12 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2f\/Google_2015_logo.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/a\/a9\/Amazon_logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-company-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/4\/42\/Paytm_logo.png\" alt=\"Paytm\" loading=\"lazy\">\n            <span class=\"scaler-logo-more\">+1000 more<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n            <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/devops-course\/', '_blank')\">\n              Go to Program\n              <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <!-- CARD 6 -->\n      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n        <div class=\"scaler-card\">\n          <div class=\"scaler-badge\">NSDC Certified<\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-top\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-icon-wrap\">\n              <svg width=\"26\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\">\n                <line x1=\"3\" y1=\"22\" x2=\"21\" y2=\"22\"><\/line>\n                <line x1=\"6\" y1=\"18\" x2=\"6\" y2=\"11\"><\/line>\n                <line x1=\"10\" y1=\"18\" x2=\"10\" y2=\"11\"><\/line>\n                <line x1=\"14\" y1=\"18\" x2=\"14\" y2=\"11\"><\/line>\n                <line x1=\"18\" y1=\"18\" x2=\"18\" y2=\"11\"><\/line>\n                <polygon points=\"12 2 20 7 4 7\"><\/polygon>\n              <\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-card-top-content\">\n              <h3 class=\"scaler-title\">AI Engineering Advanced Certification by IIT-Roorkee<\/h3>\n              <p class=\"scaler-desc\">Premier AI engineering certification from IIT-Roorkee<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-stats\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">3 Months<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Duration<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">AI-Led<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Curriculum<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"scaler-stat\"><span class=\"scaler-stat-value\">Career Support<\/span><span class=\"scaler-stat-label\">Support<\/span><\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-logos\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"scaler-logo-strip\" src=\"https:\/\/scaler-blog-prod-wp-content.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/08135139\/iitr-icons-strip.png\" alt=\"Program highlights\" loading=\"lazy\">\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"scaler-card-btns\">\n            <button onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/iit-roorkee-advanced-ai-engineering-course\/', '_blank')\">\n              Go to Program\n              <svg width=\"14\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M3 8H13M13 8L9 4M13 8L9 12\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <!-- Continue for remaining cards (6\u20138) using same pattern -->\n\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"swiper-button-next\"><\/div>\n    <div class=\"swiper-button-prev\"><\/div>\n    <div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- Swiper.js -->\n<script src=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.js\"><\/script>\n<script>\ndocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function () {\n  const pathParts = window.location.pathname.split(\"\/\").filter(Boolean);\n  const slug = pathParts[pathParts.length - 1] || \"\";\n  const readableSlug = encodeURIComponent(slug);\n  const buttons = document.querySelectorAll(\".scaler-card-btns button\");\n\n  buttons.forEach((btn) => {\n    const baseURL = btn.getAttribute(\"onclick\").match(\/'(.*?)'\/)[1];\n    if (!baseURL.includes(\"utm_source=\")) {\n      const separator = baseURL.includes(\"?\") ? \"&\" : \"?\";\n      const updatedURL = `${baseURL}${separator}utm_source=blog&utm_medium=program_carousel&utm_content=${readableSlug}`;\n      btn.setAttribute(\"onclick\", `window.open('${updatedURL}', '_blank')`);\n    }\n  });\n\n  new Swiper(\".scaler-swiper\", {\n    slidesPerView: 1,\n    spaceBetween: 28,\n    grabCursor: true,\n    navigation: { nextEl: \".swiper-button-next\", prevEl: \".swiper-button-prev\" },\n    pagination: { el: \".swiper-pagination\", dynamicBullets: true, clickable: true },\n    breakpoints: { 1000: { slidesPerView: 2 } },\n    keyboard: { enabled: true },\n  });\n});\n<\/script>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-does-a-forward-deployed-analyst-do\"><\/span><strong>What Does a<\/strong> <strong>Forward Deployed Analyst<\/strong> <strong>Do?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>forward deployed analyst<\/strong> embeds with operational teams to integrate data platforms, analyse real data and turn real-time questions into actionable insight. Listings also describe translating operational workflows into technical requirements for engineers and validating that new tools help users. Most visible postings today come from US defence and cyber startups, where roles ask for clearances and a decade of domain experience, and published bases run roughly $160,000 to $240,000. A business-flavoured version of the <strong>forward deployed analyst<\/strong> appears as the deployment strategist, covered below. For the SQL, Python, and statistics base, Scaler&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/data-science-course\/\">data science course<\/a> covers the foundations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-does-a-forward-deployed-security-engineer-do\"><\/span><strong>What Does a<\/strong> <strong>Forward Deployed Security Engineer<\/strong> <strong>Do?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>forward deployed security engineer<\/strong> secures deployments inside customer environments, from design to production and ongoing operations. OpenAI&#8217;s listing for the role covers access controls, authentication, encryption, and network and system security for public-sector customers. An AWS listing adds threat modelling and penetration testing for AI applications, plus controls against prompt injection and data leakage, with up to 25% travel. Palantir&#8217;s version centres on security plans, security-as-code and compliance checks inside CI\/CD pipelines. Scaler&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/cyber-security-syllabus\/\">cyber security syllabus<\/a> maps the core topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-are-forward-deployed-ops-and-strategy-roles\"><\/span><strong>What Are Forward Deployed Ops and Strategy Roles?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ops-side roles own the customer outcome rather than the code. Palantir&#8217;s deployment strategist and OpenAI&#8217;s deployment lead scope the problem, manage stakeholders and drive adoption, so the strategist owns the &#8220;why&#8221; and &#8220;what&#8221; while the FDE owns the &#8220;how&#8221;. India has them too: a New Delhi listing for a forward deployment strategist at GalaxEye Space owns customer trials and proofs of concept as the liaison between customers and engineering. Stripe also embeds a <strong>forward deployed security engineer<\/strong> in its abuse operations team to respond to live fraud incidents. A <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> often collaborates with these roles during discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"forward-deployed-designer-vs-analyst-vs-security-engineer-vs-ops\"><\/span><strong>Forward Deployed Designer<\/strong> <strong>vs Analyst vs Security Engineer vs Ops<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Role<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Core job<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Works closely with<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Typical background<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Forward deployed designer<\/strong><\/td><td>Prototype and ship workflow experiences<\/td><td>FDEs, product managers<\/td><td>Product design, user research<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Forward deployed analyst<\/strong><\/td><td>Integrate data and surface insight<\/td><td>Operators, engineers<\/td><td>Analytics, domain expertise<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Forward deployed security engineer<\/strong><\/td><td>Secure customer deployments<\/td><td>FDEs, customer security teams<\/td><td>AppSec, cloud, compliance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Deployment strategist or lead<\/td><td>Own trials, adoption and outcomes<\/td><td>FDEs, executives<\/td><td>Consulting, operations<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Forward deployed engineer<\/td><td>Build and run production software<\/td><td>All of the above<\/td><td>Software engineering<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-to-move-into-a-forward-deployed-role-beyond-engineering\"><\/span><strong>How to Move Into a Forward Deployed Role Beyond Engineering<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pick one lane.<\/strong> Design, analysis, security, or ops, and learn how listings in that lane describe the job.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Add technical fluency.<\/strong> SQL, Python, APIs, and cloud basics help every non-engineering lane, including a <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> who prototypes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Learn the customer-facing craft.<\/strong> Practise discovery calls, workshops and stakeholder updates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Build proof with a real user.<\/strong> Ship a working workflow for an actual team and measure adoption.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Read each listing closely.<\/strong> The title tells you customers are involved, not how technical the job is.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\n    <meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\n\n    <!-- Source Sans Pro (topics font) -->\n    <link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Source+Sans+3:wght@400;600;700&#038;display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n    <link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.css\">\n    <script src=\"https:\/\/cdn.jsdelivr.net\/npm\/swiper@11\/swiper-bundle.min.js\"><\/script>\n\n    <style>\n      :root {\n        \/* topics design tokens (variables.scss) *\/\n        --scaler-primary: #005bb3;          \/* primary-color-80 *\/\n        --scaler-primary-30: #8acaff;       \/* primary-color-30 *\/\n        --scaler-brand-blue: #255aad;\n        --scaler-live: #ee001d;             \/* accent-v5-60 *\/\n        --scaler-live-bg: #ffe6e9;          \/* accent-v5-10 *\/\n        --scaler-card-bg: #ffffff;          \/* neutral-scale-0 *\/\n        --scaler-surface: #f4f6f9;          \/* neutral-scale-2 *\/\n        --scaler-text-primary: #1a2c47;     \/* neutral-scale-12 *\/\n        --scaler-text-secondary: #61738e;   \/* neutral-scale-9 *\/\n        --scaler-border: #d6dee5;           \/* neutral-scale-4 *\/\n        --scaler-radius: 16px;\n        --scaler-radius-sm: 8px;\n        --scaler-shadow: 0 8px 16px 0 rgba(50, 71, 102, 0.16);\n      }\n\n      .scaler-events-carousel * { box-sizing: border-box; }\n\n      .scaler-events-carousel {\n        font-family: \"Source Sans 3\", \"Source Sans Pro\", \"Roboto\", Arial, sans-serif;\n        padding: 24px;\n        position: relative;\n        width: 100%;\n      }\n      .scaler-events-carousel__inner {\n        max-width: 1000px;\n        margin: 0 auto;\n        position: relative;\n        width: 100%;\n      }\n\n      \/* Header \u2014 calendar icon + \"Live Masterclasses\" *\/\n      .scaler-events-header {\n        display: flex;\n        align-items: center;\n        gap: 8px;\n        margin-bottom: 8px;\n        padding: 8px 0;\n      }\n      .scaler-events-header__icon { display: inline-flex; color: var(--scaler-text-primary); }\n      .scaler-events-header__icon svg { width: 24px; height: 24px; }\n      .scaler-events-header__title {\n        font-size: 18px;\n        font-weight: 700;\n        color: var(--scaler-text-primary);\n        line-height: 1.3;\n        margin: 0;\n      }\n\n      \/* Swiper wrap (holds side arrows) *\/\n      .scaler-events-swiper-wrap { position: relative; }\n      .scaler-events-carousel .swiper { width: 100%; padding: 4px; }\n      .scaler-event-swiper .swiper-slide {\n        width: 296px;          \/* topics card_container width *\/\n        height: auto;\n        display: flex;\n      }\n\n      \/* Event Card \u2014 matches topics EventCard *\/\n      .scaler-event-card {\n        background: var(--scaler-card-bg);\n        border: 1px solid var(--scaler-border);\n        border-radius: var(--scaler-radius);\n        padding: 16px;\n        display: flex;\n        flex-direction: column;\n        height: 100%;\n        width: 100%;\n        cursor: pointer;\n      }\n\n      \/* Header row: headshot + title\/name *\/\n      .scaler-event-card__header { display: flex; align-items: flex-start; }\n      .scaler-event-card__image-wrapper {\n        position: relative;\n        width: 88px;\n        height: 88px;\n        min-width: 88px;\n       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align-items: center;\n        justify-content: center;\n        gap: 5px;\n        padding: 1px 8px;\n        background: var(--scaler-live-bg);\n        color: var(--scaler-live);\n        font-size: 12px;\n        line-height: 22px;\n        text-transform: uppercase;\n        letter-spacing: 0.18em;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__live-badge::before {\n        content: \"\";\n        width: 6px; height: 6px;\n        background: var(--scaler-live);\n        border-radius: 50%;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__text { margin-left: 16px; min-width: 0; }\n      .scaler-event-card__title {\n        font-size: 20px;\n        font-weight: 600;\n        color: var(--scaler-text-primary);\n        margin: 0;\n        line-height: 1.4;\n        display: -webkit-box;\n        -webkit-line-clamp: 2;\n        -webkit-box-orient: vertical;\n        overflow: hidden;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__speaker {\n        margin-top: 8px;\n        font-size: 14px;\n        line-height: 1.4;\n        color: var(--scaler-text-primary);\n      }\n\n      \/* Takeaways *\/\n      .scaler-event-card__takeaways {\n        margin-top: 12px;\n        min-height: 50px;\n        max-height: 50px;\n        overflow: hidden;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__takeaway-item {\n        display: flex;\n        align-items: flex-start;\n        gap: 6px;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__dot {\n        width: 4px; height: 4px;\n        min-width: 4px;\n        border-radius: 50%;\n        background: var(--scaler-text-secondary);\n        margin-top: 11px;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__takeaway-text {\n        flex: 1;\n        min-width: 0;\n        font-size: 14px;\n        line-height: 24px;\n        color: var(--scaler-text-primary);\n        white-space: nowrap;\n        overflow: hidden;\n        text-overflow: ellipsis;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__knowmore,\n      .scaler-event-card__knowmore:link,\n      .scaler-event-card__knowmore:visited {\n        flex-shrink: 0;\n        font-size: 14px;\n        line-height: 24px;\n        color: var(--scaler-primary) !important;\n        text-decoration: none;\n        white-space: nowrap;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__knowmore:hover { text-decoration: underline; }\n\n      \/* Date + duration *\/\n      .scaler-event-card__meta {\n        display: flex;\n        align-items: center;\n        justify-content: space-between;\n        margin-top: 20px;\n        font-size: 13px;\n        line-height: 24px;\n        color: var(--scaler-text-primary);\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__duration {\n        display: flex;\n        align-items: center;\n        gap: 4px;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__duration svg { width: 15px; height: 15px; }\n\n      .scaler-event-card__spacer { flex-grow: 1; min-height: 4px; }\n\n      \/* CTA \u2014 outlined \"Register with 1-Click\" *\/\n      .scaler-event-card__cta,\n      .scaler-event-card__cta:link,\n      .scaler-event-card__cta:visited {\n        display: flex;\n        align-items: center;\n        justify-content: center;\n        width: 100%;\n        margin-top: 16px;\n        padding: 8px;\n        background: transparent;\n        color: var(--scaler-primary) !important;\n        font-family: inherit;\n        font-size: 14px;\n        font-weight: 600;\n        line-height: 24px;\n        text-decoration: none;\n        border: 1px solid var(--scaler-primary);\n        border-radius: var(--scaler-radius-sm);\n        cursor: pointer;\n        transition: background 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card__cta:hover,\n      .scaler-event-card__cta:focus {\n        background: var(--scaler-primary);\n        color: #fff !important;\n      }\n\n      \/* Side navigation arrows *\/\n      .scaler-events-nav__btn {\n        position: absolute !important;\n        top: 50% !important;\n        transform: translateY(-50%) !important;\n        z-index: 2;\n        width: 46px !important;\n        height: 46px !important;\n        min-width: 46px;\n        display: flex !important;\n        align-items: center;\n        justify-content: center;\n        padding: 0 !important;\n        background: var(--scaler-card-bg) !important;\n        border: none !important;\n        border-radius: var(--scaler-radius-sm) !important;\n        box-shadow: var(--scaler-shadow) !important;\n        color: var(--scaler-text-secondary) !important;\n        cursor: pointer;\n        transition: opacity 0.2s ease, visibility 0.2s ease;\n      }\n      .scaler-nav-prev { left: 8px !important; }\n      .scaler-nav-next { right: 8px !important; }\n      .scaler-events-nav__btn svg {\n        width: 20px !important;\n        height: 20px !important;\n        fill: var(--scaler-text-secondary) !important;\n      }\n      .scaler-events-nav__btn.swiper-button-disabled {\n        opacity: 0;\n        visibility: hidden;\n        pointer-events: none;\n      }\n\n      \/* View All Events *\/\n      .scaler-events-viewall,\n      .scaler-events-viewall:link,\n      .scaler-events-viewall:visited {\n        display: flex;\n        align-items: center;\n        justify-content: center;\n        gap: 6px;\n        margin-top: 12px;\n        font-size: 14px;\n        font-weight: 600;\n        color: var(--scaler-brand-blue) !important;\n        text-decoration: none;\n      }\n      .scaler-events-viewall:hover { text-decoration: underline; }\n      .scaler-events-viewall svg { width: 16px; height: 16px; fill: var(--scaler-brand-blue); }\n\n      \/* hide swiper defaults *\/\n      .scaler-events-pagination { display: none; }\n      .scaler-events-carousel .swiper-button-prev,\n      .scaler-events-carousel .swiper-button-next { display: none; }\n\n      \/* Skeleton & Empty States *\/\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton { pointer-events: none; }\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__image-wrapper,\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__title,\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__speaker,\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__takeaways,\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__meta,\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__cta {\n        background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--scaler-border) 25%, var(--scaler-surface) 50%, var(--scaler-border) 75%);\n        background-size: 200% 100%;\n        animation: shimmer 1.5s infinite;\n        color: transparent !important;\n        border-color: transparent !important;\n        border-radius: 4px;\n      }\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__title { min-height: 44px; }\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__speaker { min-height: 16px; }\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__meta { min-height: 24px; }\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__cta { min-height: 40px; }\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__image,\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__img-footer,\n      .scaler-event-card--skeleton .scaler-event-card__live-badge { display: none; }\n\n      @keyframes shimmer {\n        0% { background-position: 200% 0; }\n        100% { background-position: -200% 0; }\n      }\n\n      .scaler-events-empty {\n        text-align: center;\n        padding: 40px 20px;\n        color: var(--scaler-text-secondary);\n        font-size: 15px;\n      }\n\n      @media (max-width: 768px) {\n        .scaler-events-carousel { padding: 16px; }\n        .scaler-event-swiper .swiper-slide { width: calc(100vw - 52px); }\n        .scaler-events-nav__btn { display: none; }\n      }\n    <\/style>\n\n\n\n    <div class=\"scaler-events-carousel js-scaler-carousel\">\n\n      <template class=\"js-event-card-template\">\n        <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n          <article class=\"scaler-event-card\">\n            <div class=\"scaler-event-card__header\">\n              <div class=\"scaler-event-card__image-wrapper\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\" alt=\"\" class=\"scaler-event-card__image\" loading=\"lazy\">\n                <div class=\"scaler-event-card__img-footer\">\n                  <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M11.199 7.957c-3.086 0-5.588 2.502-5.588 5.588s2.502 5.588 5.588 5.588c3.086 0 5.588-2.502 5.588-5.588s-2.502-5.588-5.588-5.588zM3.611 13.545c0-4.191 3.397-7.588 7.588-7.588s7.588 3.397 7.588 7.588c0 4.191-3.397 7.588-7.588 7.588s-7.588-3.397-7.588-7.588z\"\/><path d=\"M21.090 6.369h0.003c1.989 0 3.897 0.79 5.303 2.197s2.197 3.314 2.197 5.303-0.79 3.897-2.197 5.303c-1.406 1.407-3.314 2.197-5.303 2.197-0.552 0-1-0.448-1-1s0.448-1 1-1c1.459 0 2.858-0.579 3.889-1.611s1.611-2.43 1.611-3.889c0-1.459-0.58-2.858-1.611-3.889s-2.429-1.611-3.888-1.611c-0.507 0.002-1.013 0.070-1.502 0.203-0.533 0.145-1.082-0.17-1.227-0.703s0.17-1.082 0.703-1.227c0.659-0.179 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class=\"scaler-event-card__spacer\"><\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"scaler-event-card__meta\">\n              <span class=\"js-event-date\"><\/span>\n              <span class=\"scaler-event-card__duration\">\n                <svg fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M16 6.333c6.443 0 11.667 5.223 11.667 11.667s-5.223 11.667-11.667 11.667c-6.443 0-11.667-5.223-11.667-11.667v0c0.008-6.44 5.226-11.659 11.666-11.667h0.001zM16 28.333c5.707 0 10.333-4.626 10.333-10.333s-4.626-10.333-10.333-10.333c-5.707 0-10.333 4.626-10.333 10.333v0c0.007 5.704 4.629 10.326 10.333 10.333h0.001z\"\/><path d=\"M16 18.667c-0 0-0.001 0-0.001 0-0.184 0-0.35-0.074-0.471-0.195v0c-0.121-0.121-0.195-0.287-0.195-0.471s0.075-0.351 0.195-0.471l4.951-4.952c0.121-0.121 0.287-0.195 0.471-0.195s0.351 0.075 0.471 0.195v0c0.121 0.121 0.195 0.287 0.195 0.471s-0.075 0.351-0.195 0.471l-4.949 4.951c-0.121 0.121-0.288 0.196-0.472 0.196v0z\"\/><path d=\"M19 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});\n    });\n    <\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The forward deployed model is widening. A <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong>, analyst, security engineer or strategist all share one idea: work close to the customer, own the outcome, and ship. Titles are loose, so judge each role by its day-to-day scope. If you want the most technical version of this career, the FDE route remains the clearest path, and a <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> who understands engineering will work better with those teams.<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Want the engineering route into forward deployed roles?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scaler&#8217;s AI Forward Deployed Engineer program is built for engineers and runs on one continuous client engagement, from discovery and scoping to production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/ai-forward-deployed-engineer-course\/\">Explore Now<br><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"><\/span><strong>Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is a<\/strong> <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong><strong>?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> works directly with customers to prototype and ship workflow-focused product experiences alongside engineers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Does a<\/strong> <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> <strong>need to code?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not always, but a <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong> who can prototype and use AI build tools has an edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is a<\/strong> <strong>forward deployed product designer<\/strong><strong>?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>forward deployed product designer<\/strong> bridges customer needs, product strategy and engineering for complex operational workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What does a<\/strong> <strong>forward deployed analyst<\/strong> <strong>do?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>forward deployed analyst<\/strong> embeds with operational teams to integrate data platforms and turn real questions into insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What does a<\/strong> <strong>forward deployed security engineer<\/strong> <strong>do?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>forward deployed security engineer<\/strong> secures AI deployments in customer environments, from access controls to threat modelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Are forward deployed roles only for engineers?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. A <strong>forward deployed designer<\/strong>, analyst, security engineer, or strategist all exist, though most still expect technical fluency.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A forward deployed designer is a job title few people had heard of a year ago. Now it appears next to the forward-deployed engineer (FDE) in listings from AI startups and large platforms. With Scaler&#8217;s FDE launch announcement citing 729% year-on-year growth in demand for forward-deployed roles, the model is spreading beyond engineering into design, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":242,"featured_media":14701,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-software-development"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/242"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14667"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14667\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14705,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14667\/revisions\/14705"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scaler.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}