platform or DIY bespoke? Value add or donkey work?

1. IoT (or MES)
The bespoke solution contrasted with
the productised solution
...some thoughts

2. The scope of the
Project
=
4 man years of various
activities

3. Which consists of
a starting point (tools)
and bespoke
programming
and testing
and bug fixing and...

4. Which can be seen as
stuff that is core, stuff
that has to be done
and real value added

5. Core
Stuff that just
has to be there
Value add
Visualised like this...

6. Core
Stuff that just
has to be there
Value add
But... The whole area is
proportional to ‘the money’,
which should point to maximising
the spend effectively

7. Core
Stuff that just
has to be there
Value add
But, but... The Core and other
stuff (security, access etc) is
absorbing a great deal of the
budget

8. platform
Value add
Using a platform (IoT or MES) will
cost more than basic tools and
man hours, but it’s all tested and
supported. The increased
acquisition cost will probably be
less than the ‘bespoke’ man
hours cost, and will definitely be
faster – much faster.
There is a different way...

9. platform
Value add
... and the portion of money left
for Value add is greater, and this
will be based on powerful tools –
more configuration, less
programming.

10. platform
Value add
... Which means that the whole
project is delivered quicker, is
more robust and is properly
supported.
And it may mean that the project
comes in under budget!

11. platform
Value add
The choice is yours, the advice is
free, the results are measurable
Core
Stuff that just
has to be there
Value add

12. Summary
– When something ‘has to be done’
– When ‘there is an opportunity here’
• Research the alternative approaches
• Consider ‘time to market, robustness, support
and risk’
• Don’t ever risk having to say ‘if I knew that we
would end up here I would not have started
there’