The 7Cs Framework for Build vs. Buy Decisions

About this template

This template captures Sue Nallapeta's (CTO at Trusted Health) methodology for navigating complex engineering leadership decisions. It provides a structured checklist to help leaders determine whether to develop software in-house or acquire external solutions by analyzing business needs, resource constraints, and long-term architectural fit.

"A rational decision-making framework designed to remove ego and emotional bias from software acquisition strategies. It evaluates the 'Build vs. Buy' dilemma through specific dimensions including Core Capability (is it your main value prop?), Cost (ecosystem TCO vs. just headcount), Complexity (does off-the-shelf fit?), Competence (internal skill vs. opportunity cost), and Cohesion (integration with existing systems)."