http://www.3csoftware.com/to-build-or-to-buy-comparing-custom-and-off-the-shelf-software-applications/
This is a good article that covers the pros and cons of developing custom software versus purchasing Commercial off the shelf software (COTS). Along with these pros and cons the author discusses looking at the costs of custom software development versus the cost of purchasing COTS. I very much agree with his conclusion "The rule of thumb is to buy applications to the maximum extent possible to cut costs — freeing up resources for whatever really needs to be built in-house."
I agree with this statement, in my current position we are mainly using COTS as the maintenance and upkeep of custom systems is just too expensive. COTS packages are regularly patched and upgraded, if we were to use custom software we would have to go back to the developer to have them modified. Our COTS systems are typically database type systems that store information needed for our various departments, Archaeology, Development (fund raising), Gardens and Grounds, Curatorial. There are COTS systems designed specifically to handle the types of information these groups need to collect.
Where we have custom designed software is for our exhibits. It would be difficult to find pre-packaged software that would work for a museum exhibit. The issues described in this blog are exactly what we are experiencing with this software. It does work exactly as needed, but the cost to change any of it is excessive. Also, as it was custom designed for the systems in use, after a time, the equipment becomes obsolete or difficult to find.
I began my career as a developer and at that time there just wasn't the proliferation of COTS that there is now so custom software development was the only way to provide software solutions, these days the need for full fledged software development projects is limited to very specific one-off solutions.
I enjoyed your perspective, especially from someone with your background. My previous employer chose the custom route and they paid dearly for it. Problems were many, from sign in issues to constant updates and changes. The time to do this customization was immense and it took the entire IT team away from everything else which caused problems else where. When you go custom there is now customer service to turn to. you are the support! thanks again for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI have attempted to standardize on a software language for all projects to use when they are purchasing custom equipment. Once the project gets the pricing back from the bidder they 'Value Engineer' out my standard and use whatever language that company has used in the past. Saves the project 80-100K but the building and maintenance costs are 10X that over the course of its life because we need trained personnel to look at the system who are familiar with the application and language.
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