At a glance
Describe the work, the people doing it, and the systems involved. Then compare the cost of adapting a product with the responsibility of owning a custom tool.
Map one workflow first
What starts the task, and which system holds the information it needs?
Record system switches, manual steps, exceptions, and who handles each one.
Specify what they need next and how they will know the task is complete.
Use this same workflow to evaluate a product demonstration and scope a custom build.
Pick a specific process, such as a coordinator preparing a patient’s next step or an operations team combining reports. Follow it from start to finish with the people who use it.
Record what they enter, where they switch systems, and where someone makes a decision. This produces a useful buying brief instead of a list of features with no context.
Confirm what your systems can share
An integration depends on what the existing vendor exposes and what your organization is permitted to access. Establish those facts with your IT team before promising an automated workflow.
A product that looks right in a demonstration may need a different subscription, vendor approval, or a manual handoff to fit your setup. A custom build has the same access constraints.
- Required data and the system that owns it
- Available vendor interfaces and access permissions
- Who handles failed or incomplete transfers
- What remains a human decision
Compare the whole working arrangement
An existing product may fit when the workflow is common and your team can work within its configuration. A custom tool may fit when a specific process needs a different experience or connections that available products do not provide.
Compare setup, subscriptions, implementation effort, ongoing support, and the work left with your team. Ask who owns the data, source code where applicable, and the process for leaving or changing the arrangement.
Define a useful first version
Agree on one workflow, a small group of users, and what they should be able to do before expanding. Let the actual team try it and record what still requires a workaround.
For either route, name the owner after launch. Software needs maintenance as vendors, workflows, and the organization change. Decide how that work will be handled before committing.