Most of us in the IT industry have been there—deep in the trenches of a custom development project, trying to craft the perfect solution for a client. You’ve mapped out the ideal process, optimized for efficiency and user experience, only for the client to insist on something like a big pink button smack in the middle of the screen. They’re paying the bills, so you comply, but it gets you thinking—why are we creating these complex custom solutions in the first place?
Recently, a friend who runs a software agency mentioned how challenging it’s become to secure new projects. It made me wonder: Is it time to consider business software as a commodity? Unless you’re managing an extremely complex enterprise like a bank or pioneering something entirely new—like sending people to Mars—is there really a need for these intricate, custom-built systems that only your organization will use?
Gartner’s research indicates that custom development is still thriving, particularly among large corporations. It’s understandable—Fortune 500 companies with unique business processes will naturally turn to another Fortune 500 giant, like Deloitte, to tailor their internal systems. For them, a custom tool could indeed be a game-changer (think Bloomberg Terminals).
But what about the average business? If you’re smaller, with processes that aren’t particularly unique, why go down the custom development path? There’s an array of mature, off-the-shelf tools out there—Salesforce for CRM, HubSpot for marketing automation, Shopify for e-commerce, Stripe for payments, and WordPress for content management. These aren’t just powerful tools on their own; they also come with vibrant ecosystems of plugins, customizations, and themes that let you hit the ground running.
Of course, there’s a cost to these tools, and it might seem steep initially (though some, like WordPress, are free). But be wary of the lure of custom development. While you might start with a lower quote from an outsourced team, consider the long-term implications: ongoing support, updates, documentation, and the perpetual challenge of finding developers who can maintain these custom-built solutions. It’s a bottomless pit that could drain your resources indefinitely.
Even with off-the-shelf software, it’s not all smooth sailing. Your IT team needs to be involved from the get-go, ensuring they’re trained to manage and maintain these systems effectively. If your existing processes don’t align with industry-standard tools, maybe it’s time to rethink your processes. Often, it’s the process that needs to change, not the software.
We’re naturally inclined to invent—sometimes brilliantly, sometimes foolishly. In business, this often translates into custom processes that, frankly, might not be necessary. Consider Elon Musk’s second rule: if you’re facing a complex process that no one really understands and it’s preventing you from implementing a standard solution, delete it and start fresh.
So, before you dive into that next big custom development project, take a moment. Have you truly exhausted all other options? There’s likely an off-the-shelf tool out there that could meet your needs, saving you time, money, and a lot of future headaches.