Vatsal Shah, the Co-Founder and CEO of Litmus, leads the management and engineering team at the company. In the rapidly evolving industrial landscape, enterprise leaders are faced with the crucial decision of whether to build a custom industrial DataOps solution or purchase an off-the-shelf system. This decision can have significant impacts on both immediate operations and long-term strategic positioning.
Risk management is a key factor in determining whether to build or buy a DataOps solution. Developing a custom solution offers customization but also introduces operational and financial risks. On the other hand, purchasing a ready-made solution transfers the risk to the vendor, who is responsible for delivering a proven system, reducing operational disruptions and ensuring continuity.
The total cost of ownership (TCO) goes beyond the initial investment or subscription fee. For a custom-built system, this includes development costs, maintenance, hardware, and team support. A bought solution has predictable costs with subscriptions and upgrades, along with access to vendor customer success teams for support and continuous improvement.
The pace of innovation is crucial for staying competitive. Building a unique solution allows for tailored innovations but may be slower than vendors who invest heavily in research and development. Leveraging a vendor’s insights and feedback can keep an enterprise ahead in innovation and technology best practices.
Successful DataOps implementation requires alignment between people, processes, and technology. Building a solution may require integrating multiple vendor solutions, leading to complexity and high maintenance costs. In contrast, a bought solution comes with established best practices, implementation roadmaps, and support structures that accelerate adoption and maximize the impact of the technology.
In choosing between building and buying a DataOps solution, leaders must consider opportunity costs. Resources dedicated to in-house development take away from core competencies and value-generating activities. Opting for a market-ready solution frees up resources for innovation in manufacturing and operations, allowing the enterprise to focus on strategic growth and agility in the digital age. Ultimately, the decision between customization and speed, support, and strategic focus rests on a clear assessment of the enterprise’s priorities, risk capacity, and learning opportunities from experienced professionals.
