Core platforms were built and supported by an external vendor. It worked, but leadership was no longer sure it was the right model for the years ahead.
Should the organization build its own team? Keep the current partner? Move to a managed service, or bring in an agency for specific work? Each option had supporters, and each carried real costs and risks.
What leadership needed was not an opinion. It was a fair, side-by-side comparison they could act on.
There is no single right delivery model. There is the right mix for your organization, your budget and your appetite for control.
The challenge
Core platforms were built and supported by an external vendor. Leadership needed to know whether that was still the right model, or whether an internal team, a managed service or an agency would serve the business better.
Our approach
We compared four delivery models (internal team, external partner, managed service and agency) against cost, control, knowledge retention, speed and risk, and modelled each over three years. The analysis showed where each model fits, and how a balanced mix could keep architecture and key knowledge in-house while using partners for defined work.
- 1Strategy
Define what matters
We agreed five decision criteria with leadership: cost, control, knowledge retention, speed and risk.
- 2Strategy
Compare four models fairly
Internal team, external partner, managed service and agency were each assessed against the same criteria and modelled over three years.
- 3Strategy
Find the right mix
The analysis showed where each model fits best, and how a balanced mix could keep architecture and key knowledge in-house while partners deliver defined work.
- 4Delivery
Plan the path
A phased roadmap set out how to move from the current model to the recommended mix without disrupting service.
- 5Operations
Set up to sustain it
Roles, governance and measures were defined so the new model could be run and adjusted over time.
The outcome
A clear, costed comparison and a recommended delivery model, with a phased path to get there, ready for leadership decision.
The value delivered
What made it work
- Agree the criteria first. It turns a debate into a decision.
- Model the full cost over time. The cheapest option this year is not always the cheapest over three.
- Keep what makes you different. Own the architecture and knowledge; partner for the rest.
What it means for you
If you are weighing whether to build a team, use a partner, buy a managed service or hire an agency, we can help you compare the options and choose the mix that fits.