Why we launched the State of On-Demand Tech Delivery Skills Survey
Many organisations are trying to build the future using workforce and resourcing models designed for the past.
Technology change is accelerating. Artificial intelligence is moving from experimentation to execution. Skills are becoming obsolete faster than they can be hired. The World Economic Forum “Future of Jobs 2025” report indicates employers expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030. LinkedIn data from their “Skills on the Rise 2025” report suggests around 70% of the skills used in most jobs will change by 2030; with AI accelerating the pace of shift. Yet many organisations still rely on slow, rigid hiring approaches that can’t keep pace with the reality of modern delivery.
In this environment, on-demand tech delivery capacity isn’t a tactical option. It’s becoming essential infrastructure.
The organisations pulling ahead aren’t just asking how to hire faster. They’re redesigning how delivery capacity flows through the business. They’re building delivery organisations that are flexible, responsive, and continuously adaptable. At Brightbox, we call this the Liquid Workforce.
The problem isn’t adoption, it’s visibility
On-demand delivery capacity is already in use across industries. The problem is understanding what “good” looks like and what’s actually happening in the market.
There’s limited independent benchmark data that quantifies:
how embedded on-demand delivery capacity really is,
which engagement models organisations rely on,
where teams are located (onshore / nearshore / offshore),
typical levels of spend across different organisation sizes,
and what outcomes and constraints leaders are experiencing in practice.
The conversation is too often dominated by opinion and anecdotes rather than evidence. That’s no longer good enough.
So we launched our inaugural 2026 benchmark survey designed to produce practical data on how organisations are operating today.
What we mean by “on-demand”
To avoid confusion, we’re using a clear definition:
On-demand tech delivery skills = flexible, external delivery capacity used to build or change digital products, platforms and services. This includes individual contractors (staff augmentation), specialist consultants, augmented squads, managed teams / managed services and nearshore/offshore delivery teams (engineering, data, QA, design).
Note: “on-demand” refers to the engagement model flexible capacity), not necessarily short duration - engagements may be short or long term.
What the survey measures (takes 5 minutes: 20 simple multiple-choice questions)
We’ve kept the survey intentionally focused to maximise participation, especially from senior technology and delivery leaders. It covers five areas:
Adoption & maturity
How organisations are using on-demand tech delivery capacity today and how embedded it is.Drivers & use cases
Why organisations use it and the types of work it’s most commonly used for (product delivery, modernisation, transformation, cloud/platform, data/AI, security/regulatory).Delivery model
Where teams are located (onshore/nearshore/offshore), which engagement models are used most often and which roles are most frequently sourced on-demand.Strategy
Annual strategies to create a realistic benchmark across different organisation sizes and delivery org sizes.Outcomes, constraints & outlook
The outcomes leaders see most often and the biggest constraints (quality consistency, onboarding, continuity, governance, security, procurement, time zones, cost predictability), plus expectations for the next 12–24 months.
Together, these questions provide a practical, evidence-based view of how modern organisations are resourcing and where the real outcomes sit.
How we’ll publish the results
The results will be published in the 2026 State of On-Demand Tech Delivery Skills Report (March 2026). The report will provide benchmarks and patterns that business and technology leaders can use to compare their current approach with peers and identify leading practices.
The future is liquid
The future of delivery won’t be built by organisations that cling to fixed workforce models. It will be built by those that treat delivery capacity as fluid, dynamic and on-demand.
This survey is about making that future visible with data.
