Published: 03 July 2012
Every organization has a perceived software buy-versus-build policy. But one policy cannot fit all situations, and more nuanced options are available, such as borrow (open-source software [OSS]) or rent (software as a service [SaaS]). Ill-advised purchases, pet custom development, and inconsistent decision making have contributed to technical debt. What constitutes a consistent set of evaluation criteria to remove biases from the decision? This Decision Point provides guidelines for organizations that are sourcing software so that they can make form-factor decisions that match their architecture principles, requirements, and constraints.
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