We’re all on a learning journey, and technology has become a driving force behind the evolution of how we work. Some of us even remember a time before every desk had a computer! With advancements in technology, the question of buy vs. build often arises, especially as organizations strive to streamline their processes and adopt innovative solutions.
With the rise of technology, the change management profession has seen incredible growth. Think of the countless ERP rollouts and cloud upgrades that have employed change managers over the years. But what about the process of managing change itself—has that evolved?
The Role of Technology in Change Management
As your organization matures, it naturally adopts standard practices. Perhaps you’ve centralized your resources into a SharePoint portal or rely on templates and spreadsheets for consistency. But what’s next?
Just like the manual processes that were transformed by IT systems, the field of change management is ripe for a tech makeover. When your organization is ready to advance to the next level of change maturity, the question arises: should you buy vs. build a solution?
The Case for Building In-House Solutions
Many organizations start by building their own tools. Whether it’s spreadsheets or PowerBI dashboards, these in-house solutions can seem like an appealing option. Here’s why:
- Customization: In-house solutions can be tailored to your organization’s specific needs. They use your language, align with industry nuances, and reflect the intricacies of your workflows.
- Cost Efficiency: Early iterations often come at little or no cost. Spreadsheet-based models or PowerBI dashboards typically begin as pet projects created by employees with a passion for tinkering.
- Scalability Over Time: These solutions can evolve as your needs grow. For instance, you might begin with a simple communications planner and later develop a comprehensive reporting system for all change initiatives.
- Ease of Adoption: Small-scale tools require minimal training. The team that develops them is already familiar with how they work, making adoption seamless.
Building in-house sounds like a strong option. But what about the limitations?
The Risks of DIY Systems
While building in-house may work initially, many organizations eventually encounter significant challenges. Let’s explore the risks:
- Limited Scalability: A solution built for one division or project often struggles to scale across the entire organization. Without proper planning, it may not meet the needs of an enterprise-wide change management function.
- Support Challenges: Those passionate employees who developed the system may lose enthusiasm over time, especially as maintenance demands grow. Keeping the system running smoothly often becomes a burden.
- Training Requirements: Even with modern tools like PowerBI and AI Copilot, systems can require technical expertise. Not all team members will have the skills needed, making training a critical—and often overlooked—requirement.
- Data Security Risks: Managing permissions and protecting confidential data becomes increasingly complex as the number of users grows. Without robust safeguards, sensitive information could easily be exposed.
- Long-Term Maintenance: What happens if the person who built your system leaves? Without proper documentation and long-term support plans, your DIY solution could quickly become obsolete.
Why It’s Worth Considering a Purpose-Built Solution
Centralizing and standardizing your change management processes is a vital step toward increasing organizational change maturity. However, spreadsheets and ad hoc solutions will only take you so far.
At some point, your organization will outgrow its DIY tools and require a robust enterprise-level system—just like those you’ve implemented for other business functions. When that time comes, it’s worth exploring purpose-built solutions like ChangePlan, designed specifically to meet the needs of change managers.
Let’s Talk
Ready to elevate your change management process? When your organization is prepared to take the next step, we’re here to help. Contact us for a demo and see how we can support your journey to change maturity.
