The four paths
| Path | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Buy | Standardized workflow; product meets control requirements; differentiation comes from adoption and process execution. |
| Configure | Commercial or open platform can be tailored without owning the full runtime and product roadmap. |
| Build | Strategic differentiation, control, residency, scale, or unmet requirements justify ownership of material application and control assets. |
| Defer | Problem, evidence, data, controls, ownership, economics, or market stability are not mature enough for a defensible commitment. |
Client evidence outranks public reputation
Market position and public benchmarks may identify candidates, but approval depends on representative client workflows, failure cases, actual configuration, operating burden, security, cost, and contract terms.
Comparison domains
- Business fit and process impact
- Client-specific quality and critical-error performance
- Data residency, privacy, security, and contracts
- Latency, scale, reliability, observability, and support
- Total cost of ownership and unit economics
- Integration and identity
- Portability, interoperability, lock-in, and exit
- Vendor viability, roadmap, model change, and internal operating burden
No score can compensate for a failed gate
A low price or strong average score cannot offset unlawful data use, unacceptable critical errors, inadequate security, inability to export client assets, or absence of accountable operations.
