Build vs buy
Should a business build custom software or buy an off-the-shelf product?
The short answer
The answer depends on the problem, not the technology. TEVEL's (תבל) approach asks four questions in every project — Buy: does an existing product already solve it? Integrate: can several solutions be connected? Build: is a custom component needed? Research: is there uncertainty that must be proven before building?
When to buy
When an off-the-shelf product covers the process well, at a reasonable cost, without forcing the business to work around it manually.
When to integrate
When each existing tool is fine on its own but data moves between them by hand — integrations and automations remove most of the friction without replacing everything.
When to build
When the process is unique and justifies it — then custom software can become a business asset. When there's technical uncertainty, start with a feasibility study or PoC before a large investment.
More questions
Does TEVEL always recommend building?+
No. If an existing product solves the problem well, there's no reason to build an unnecessary system.
How is the decision made in practice?+
Discovery maps the process, then options are prioritized by impact, cost, complexity and risk.
What if we're not sure what we need?+
That's what discovery and transformation are for — you can come with a problem, not a specification.