Build vs. Buy: 5 Things to Consider When You Need Software

There is an ever-present conflict at nearly all of our customer organizations. Both sides of this conflict have justifications for this sometimes-adversarial relationship. Both sides must recognize these and work together to make good decisions for the business overall. What is this conflict? Answer: The business buyer versus the software engineering team.

Engineering teams are invaluable to any organization, but they can sometimes develop a mindset that favors building everything in-house. After all, that’s their expertise, and it’s why they were hired. However, this approach isn’t always the most efficient. It’s similar to owning a car—just because you have one doesn’t mean you should drive everywhere. Sometimes, walking is the better choice.

For engineering teams, the key to alignment is understanding that business buyers are not focused on the technology itself—they are focused on achieving business outcomes. Their priority is finding the safest, most cost-effective and most efficient path to results. Whether that means building or buying, the ultimate goal is delivering value quickly and effectively.

In many cases, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software provides business buyers with exactly what they need, producing results immediately rather than forcing them to wait 12 months—or longer—with no guarantee of success. When organizations choose to build software in-house, they embark on a complex, resource-intensive process. First, business requirements must be written, then translated into product requirements and then transformed into high-level and low-level design documents. A project team is assembled, development begins, testing cycles are conducted and finally, the software is pushed into production. But is the work done? Hardly.

Version 1 rarely meets all customer needs, requiring ongoing support, enhancements and additional staffing to sustain and evolve the solution. How long will that take? How much will it cost in time, money, time-to-market and lost opportunities? Meanwhile, your competitors may have already adopted an industry-leading solution and captured the market share you were aiming for. Did delays in implementation expose your business to risks that an off-the-shelf solution could have mitigated?

Deciding to build when a proven solution is readily available should be done with careful consideration. When it comes to software, building from scratch isn’t always the best move. In many cases, purchasing a ready-made solution is the more practical option—saving time, money and effort. Here are five reasons why:

1. Cost Efficiency
   Developing software in-house is a major investment—it requires skilled talent, infrastructure and time. Purchasing a software solution eliminates those upfront costs, giving you access to a product that’s already built, tested and ready to use.

2. Faster Time to Market
   If speed is a priority, buying software is the way to go. Custom development can take months (or even years), delaying critical business initiatives. With an off-the-shelf product, you can start using the solution almost immediately.

3. Access to Expert Development
   Software vendors dedicate entire teams to building and maintaining high-quality, secure and feature-rich products. For many businesses, replicating that level of expertise in-house is costly and unrealistic, especially for smaller teams with limited resources.

4. Ongoing Updates and Support
   When you buy software, you’re not just purchasing a product—you’re gaining access to ongoing updates, bug fixes and customer support. This helps keep your system secure, up to date and equipped with the latest features, without the burden of managing maintenance internally.

5. Scalability and Reliability
   Most commercial software solutions are built to scale, whether that means supporting more users, processing large amounts of data or optimizing performance. Developing an in-house solution that meets those same standards can be a lengthy and expensive undertaking.

While custom development has its place, buying software is often the smarter, more efficient choice—especially when speed, cost and long-term support matter. Before making a decision, carefully evaluate your business needs, available resources and the trade-offs involved.

Learn More
For a real-world perspective on how business and technical teams can align effectively, watch our on-demand webinar featuring Nike’s Principal Taxonomist, Ahren Lehnert and Progress Sales Leader, Gerard Rebalsky. The session offers valuable insights into navigating the build vs. buy conversation and driving business buy-in.