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What I do

I work with engineering and product organisations to help them get out of their own way.

Most teams don’t struggle because they lack ideas, effort, or capability. They struggle because the system is working against them — usually without anyone intending it.

Teams become trapped by accumulated decisions, organisational structure, unclear ownership, unnecessary coordination, or processes that made sense once but no longer fit the organisation they’ve become.

My job is to understand why the system behaves the way it does, identify what is actually getting in the way, and help remove the constraint with the smallest practical intervention.

My perspective​

Most organisations that run into difficulties aren't broken.

They've usually evolved — through growth, acquisition, changing priorities, or accumulated decisions — into a state where the structure is working against the work.

Systems tend to produce the outcomes they are set up for — even if that wasn’t the intention.

The useful question is not "what’s wrong?", but "what in the system is causing this, and what needs to change to shift it?"

The goal isn't "transformation", it's targeted, practical change that removes constraint and lets the team breathe.

Where I typically get involved​

  • Delivery feels slower than it should be
  • Teams are busy but progress is inconsistent
  • Work requires too many people / teams to complete
  • Decisions are slow, escalated, or unclear
  • AI and tools are increasing output, but not outcomes
  • Leadership senses something is off, but can’t clearly articulate why

How this is different​

There’s no shortage of advice on how engineering teams should work.

The problem is that much of it breaks down under real-world conditions.

I'm not an analyst or consultant who studies these problems from the outside.

I haven’t spent my career advising engineering organisations - I’ve spent it being accountable for them.

Every recommendation I make is filtered through one question:

Would I have been willing to own this decision if I were still responsible for delivery six months from now?

I’ve spent 25+ years inside engineering organisations, accountable for making delivery work in practice — under pressure, with constraints, and with imperfect systems.

That experience changes the approach:

  • Focus on what actually happens, not what should happen
  • Identify the real constraint, not a list of issues
  • Make fewer, higher-impact changes
  • Work with the system as it exists, not an idealised version

My principles​

  • Almost every "technical problem" is a people or process problem.
  • Organisations are socio-technical systems.
  • Every recommendation must survive contact with reality.
  • Most organisations have one or two dominant constraints.
  • Small, well-placed changes outperform wholesale reorganisation.

How I work​

Engagements are short, focused, and designed to get to clarity quickly.

1. Diagnostic (1–2 weeks)​

Find the constraint​

A short, focused engagement to understand how the system actually works in practice.

  • Targeted interviews across engineering and product
  • Identification of flow, friction, structure, and decision dynamics
  • Clear articulation of what is happening and why

Output:

  • Clear problem definition
  • Identification of the primary constraint
  • Practical, prioritised actions

Organisations rarely have twenty equally important problems - they usually have one or two key constraints that make everything else harder.

2. Synthesis (2–3 days)​

Build a shared understanding​

Translate findings into a clear, shared understanding of what’s actually going on.

  • What’s happening
  • Why it’s happening
  • What is actually limiting progress
  • What to change (and in what order)

Most organisations don’t lack information - they lack a shared understanding of what the information is telling them. Alignment starts with a shared understanding — and acceptance — of reality. From there, we can start to improve things.

3. Intervention (optional, 2–6 weeks)​

Change the system​

Support the organisation in removing or reducing the constraint.

  • Clarifying ownership and decision-making
  • Reducing unnecessary complexity or coordination
  • Improving flow and focus
  • Introducing practical changes that stick

The best interventions often look surprisingly small in hindsight. That’s because they change the system, not just the symptoms.

Engagement model​

  • Diagnostic: £8k-£15k depending on organisational size and complexity
  • Follow-on work: scoped based on problem and impact, typically £20k-£30k for a focused 4-6 week intervention
  • Advisory (optional): light-touch, ongoing support — typically a few hours a month to sense-check decisions and maintain momentum after an engagement.

Engagements are deliberately short and focused. The goal is speed to clarity and targeted change, not long-term dependency.

Initial conversations​

I take on a small number of engagements at a time, by design — the model only works if I can give each one proper attention.

If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find me, maybe you can hire... well, me.

I’m happy to have a conversation and see whether it’s relevant - I'm easy to find on LinkedIn or you can reach me by email at hello@andyhawkes.co.uk.

If your engineering organisation feels like it’s working harder than it should have to, there’s a good chance it isn’t the people holding it back. Sometimes organisations simply need help getting out of their own way.

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