Definition
Onboarding means structured start-up and induction - bringing new participants (developers, suppliers, partners) on board in a way that reduces risk, accelerates value creation, and ensures that knowledge is retained. In the energy sector, good onboarding is particularly critical because systems are complex, regulatory requirements are strict, and the margin for error is low. Onboarding falls into two main contexts: Developer onboarding: a new developer joins an ongoing project. Without good onboarding it can take months before they contribute effectively. Good onboarding includes pair programmingDevelopment practice where two developers work together at one machine - one writes code, one reviews and thinks - continuously and synchronously., access to system documentation, review of architectural decisions, and a dedicated mentorExperienced person who guides and supports a less experienced person in professional and personal development. during the first weeks. Supplier onboarding: a new external supplier - or a new internal team - takes over responsibility from an existing supplier. Here the risk is high: tacit knowledge can be lost, integrations can fail, and operational continuity can be threatened. Structured knowledge transferStructured process for transferring know-how from one person, team or organisation to another - important in system handovers and new partnerships. with an overlap period, documentation, and clear responsibility checkpoints is essential. In Norwegian working life, onboarding is rooted in a culture of close follow-up and community: new colleagues are introduced thoroughly, assigned a buddy and mentor, and are not expected to be fully autonomous from day one. Poor onboarding is one of the most common and costly mistakes in IT projects - especially when changing suppliers in systems with high complexity and low documentation coverage.