Evidence Management System: Off the Shelf vs Building Internally
May 30, 2019
Should you purchase evidence management software from a vendor or use your internal resources to build your own evidence management system?
Over the years the number of times I have had a potential client tell me “we are considering building an evidence management system in house” is staggering. Many companies have the resources to bring a system to life, but that is where the momentum stops. In my experience, many come back around and eventually purchase an off the shelf evidence management software for various reasons.
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Ask yourself what business are you in, and is there an off the shelf evidence management solution that is scalable and will work for your specific needs? Do you have the resources to maintain, update, and simply support the evidence management solution? Corporate attrition is the most lethal problem of all internally built systems, as knowledge regarding every aspect of the evidence management system built moves on to the next project or company.
Building evidence management software in-house may be feasible for some companies, although the scope of the specific software may be outside the core competencies of the organization, but when is it the best solution for your evidence management needs? Surprisingly once you answer the above questions and realistically discuss and document a software support and improvement plan then you can proceed with the following pros and cons.
Pros:
Building Evidence Management System In-house
- Initial cost MAY be lower
- Custom built to suit your exact needs and workflow
- Keep internal resources busy
- Integrations with other internal and external systems
Purchasing an Evidence Management System
- Immediately placed in service
- Scalable for future needs
- Support after developers move on
- Updated monthly with industry standards
- Dedicated product support
- Documented API for integrations with other internal and external systems
- Customizable to fit your organization’s needs
- Unlimited Training
- Higher Security
Cons:
Building Evidence Management System In-house
- Developer and PM Attrition
- Inability to support long term
- Product updates
- Industry standards are usually not followed
- Not as Scalable
Purchasing an Evidence Management System
- Upfront and on-going maintenance costs
- Customizable to suit your needs
- The system may be less secure
- Cannot control the software (SaaS)
- Integrations may be more difficult
Before pursuing an off the shelf evidence management software solution, take inventory of your resources both short and long term. Establish a list of requirements and work on functional specifications from all stakeholders who will be utilizing the system.
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Once you have those, contact evidence management software vendors in that market and see a demonstration of what is available off the shelf. Do a cost-benefit analysis of building versus purchasing and include everything possible with an unbiased opinion or even solicit outside help to find a solution, chances are something exists that will more than suffice your needs and is available immediately to get you on the right track.
We hope you picked up some tips to aid in your search for the best evidence management system for your needs. Feel free to contact us with any questions about our best in class evidence management software SAFE, and don’t forget to take advantage of our free evidence management comparison worksheet.
