To Buy or To Build - Comparing the Risks

Hit By A Truck Syndrome

"One thing companies don't want to do is have a complete custom package. If it's one guy and he gets hit by a truck, they're completely hosed," said Brian Dunn of HighTower, a high tech industry leader.

The “Hit by a truck syndrome” is a serious risk.  This risk may be most obvious when an outside developer or consultant is involved.  However, with the turnover of IT staff, internal IT developed software can pose a similar risk.

The nature of consulting is to move from one project to another.  Consultants rarely demonstrate any long term commitment to a custom application unless additional funds are made available.  In building a custom application, they may gather short term programmers with even less of a long term commitment to a project. 

It is not unusual for a consultant to return to their previous position or even to retire, leaving the client with an unsupported application, and a very high probability of starting over -- with lost data, lost time, and a whole new cycle of development.  (For more on this cycle of reinventing the wheel, click here.)

Moreover, Microsoft reports that computer software advances ten-fold every 18 months!  With this fast pace, if an outside consultant or internal IT department cannot commit to continuously updating the initial design, it is likely a new developer will insist that it would be cheaper to start over almost from scratch. 

For more on Risks, please see:

• Financial Risks

• Quality of Support

• Documentation and Training Services

• Obsolescence

• Some Conclusions

For anyone considering building a "home grown" system, we strongly recommend you read this article in detail and review the references provided.