Your organization needs a new software application to solve a particular business challenge. Should you have this application custom-built or find a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution? While every situation comes with its own set of unique variables, there are some universal factors to consider.
The concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for more than five decades but the chatter (and thoughtful discussion) about it has ramped up in recent years as more of the tools and systems we use move toward using increasingly powerful AI-like technology.
Most of us in the business world are technologically literate. That is, we are familiar with many different technology tools and have at least a basic understanding of what they do. This technical competence has many obvious advantages but it also has a potential downside: It can make business leaders leap to prescribed software solutions to their business problems and undervalue the role of strategy behind technology decisions.
The term API may sound like a mysterious buzzword but it is a fundamental technology principle. Understanding it can help you grasp how different technologies in our daily lives are able to work with one another.
Do a simple Google search for “off the shelf vs. custom application” and you’ll find dozens of helpful and well-argued articles with convincing analyses of factors ranging from costs, features, and organizational and technical implications, to tax and legal considerations. Such articles can be useful as checklists to ensure you’ve done your due diligence when deciding how to approach the system or application you need. But one factor that is often given surprisingly little weight in the decision-making process (perhaps because it is difficult to quantify) is user experience.
