Build vs. Buy - a strategic decision for systems and people
summary
Compares build vs buy for systems and for team skills using a Moscow analysis and a total cost of productivity model; cites 200,000 industry layoffs and a modeled team of 10. Gives a concrete case: an online learning platform builds in‑app video conferencing, compares it to vendor integration and split‑screen Zoom — short‑term (months) favors quick build, one‑year re‑skilling beats hiring, three‑to‑five‑year horizon favors vendor or bespoke long‑term build. Notes a real migration: stuck on Haskell for 3–4 years, switch to TypeScript in six months.
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chapters (5)
- 0:00Introduction and context
- 2:27Build vs buy for systems
- 10:30Build vs buy for team skills
- 19:39Key questions and takeaways
- 21:25Q&A session
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