BY SETHZ
Key takeaway
Configure an existing platform when it meets the requirement. Integrate when information needs to move between tools. Build a custom component when the process or client experience needs capabilities those options cannot support.
Adapt an existing platform.
Connect information between tools.
Create a custom component.
The decision to build a custom application should begin with the requirement. Describe the process, the people using it and the information they need before choosing the implementation route.
An existing platform may already support the requirement through configuration. In other cases, the difficulty lies in how information moves between tools. A custom application becomes a candidate when the required process or experience is not adequately supported by those options.
Assess the existing systems
Review what the firm already uses and what those systems can actually support. Look at available interfaces, permissions, export options and configuration limits. Access to an integration may depend on the product plan or the way the system is deployed.
Understanding these dependencies helps establish whether the proposed workflow is feasible before development begins.
Evaluate the operating responsibility
Every implementation needs someone to own it after launch. Configuration needs to be maintained. Integrations need monitoring when systems change. Custom applications need support, updates and documentation.
Include those responsibilities in the decision. Compare the implementation effort with the ongoing work required to keep the process functioning.
Decide where custom development adds value
A custom interface may be appropriate for a firm's proprietary assessment methodology or a client experience that existing tools cannot support. A small custom component can also address a specific gap between established platforms.
Define what that component must do, the information it can access and how users will handle exceptions. Keep the scope connected to the business requirement.
Test the route before expanding it
A focused implementation can establish whether the design works with representative information and real users. Evaluate the full workflow, including errors and handoffs, before broadening the scope.
The right route is the one that meets the requirement with an operating model the firm can sustain. Configuration, integration and custom development are options to assess against that standard.
Put this into practice
Explore our custom AI systems and business tools, review how we assess and implement a workflow, or discuss your firm’s requirement.