The implementation of an enterprise business application can not only be expensive but can also be expensive to maintain if proper care is not taken during the initial implementation.
During a technology implementation, businesses often face the dilemma of mapping the business processes to the software solution or, rather, mapping the software functionality to the business processes - or something in between.
While there is no right answer, there is certainly a consideration that must be given to how many customizations your organization is willing to live with. The functionality to customize a solution is powerful but, if overused or abused, can lead to technical debt. Just like in real life, debt needs to be serviced. Technical debt can be expensive to create and even more expensive to maintain over the course of the ownership of the software solution.
In developing software solutions, technology companies work with a variety of customers in multiple industries to create functionality. When you buy licenses, you are actually paying for not only the out-of-the-box functionality but also for the research that goes into deciding how the functionality should be coded, tested, deployed, and supported or extended over time.
Key considerations for customization versus configuration
In deciding whether to customize your technology or not, ask yourself these questions:
- Are our business needs truly unique?
- Can we streamline our business processes to adapt to the out-of-the-box functionality within the software solution?
- Can we use the software's built-in configuration options and adjust our processes to find a balance?
- What will it take to maintain and extend this customization?
Depending upon how you answer these questions, your view might change on how much customization you should commit to during a software implementation.
Here are some practical steps to minimize technical debt:
- Prioritize out-of-the-box functionality over customizations
- Prototype configurations
- Document customizations
- Plan for upgrades
- Monitor technical debt
Understanding the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the customization is often an afterthought, which leads to all kinds of issues. Put that in the forefront. Create an approval committee to approve all customizations identified during software implementation, such that you can create a gating process and challenge the business areas to think differently.
The decision to customize your business technologies should be strategic, balancing immediate needs with long-term maintainability. By prioritizing configurations, optimizing processes, and enforcing governance, businesses can minimize technical debt and ensure a sustainable implementation. Always place TCO at the forefront and challenge the need for customizations to align with the software's strengths.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
