Don’t reinvent the wheel

It happens a lot in responsive, ever-changing organizations: there is a new digital problem, and you have the lurking feeling that somebody, somewhere within or outside your organization, must have solved it before.

Consider the myriad of common challenges: from grant program software to project management tools, these are spaces where others have paved the way. Yet, the risk persists that separate teams might independently invest in similar solutions. How do we avoid redundancy? How can we tap into the collective wisdom of those who have faced and conquered similar obstacles?

So how do you stop yourself from reinventing the wheel? How do you harness the power of teams who have solved similar problems before? And what questions should you ask as you decide whether you can leverage digital work that’s already out there?  

Many public sector organizations are large and sprawling, with different ministries taking independent approaches to digital implementation and development.

So what should you do and ask to make sure you’re not reinventing the wheel? 

Here's the critical path forward:

Firstly, conduct a thorough market scan within your organization:

- Identify teams that have addressed analogous challenges

- Assess their approach and funding models—did they opt for off-the-shelf solutions, hire developers, or allocate specific funds?

Secondly, leverage your ecosystem:

- Engage with technology-focused groups or 'guilds' within your organization

- Seek guidance on best practices and compliance expectations

- Explore existing contracts that could streamline access to necessary tools and resources

Thirdly, network and learn:‍

- Take time to meet with counterparts identified during your market scan or through organizational groups

- Share experiences over coffee (the Button team admittedly doesn’t need a reason to go for coffee, but in this case, it allows you to learn from others’ successes and challenges

Throughout this journey, remain steadfast in aligning with your business requirements and objectives. Every team has unique pressures and timelines. Some may have entrenched technology preferences or operational norms that influence their approach.

Remember the words of Albert Einstein: 'Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.' Continual questioning and learning are key.

After scanning existing solutions, you face pivotal choices:

- Perhaps you've found a perfect off-the-shelf solution or an internal tool (like MS Dynamics, or Atlassian) that fits seamlessly—excellent!

- Maybe you've gleaned valuable insights from similar teams, charting a unique but informed path forward

- Or, you could integrate modular components from others, reducing custom development

At Button, we love this modular approach. It’s great any time a development team can take a monolith and break off “micro-services” that can be shared across the enterprise. It’s akin to constructing a solution brick by brick, fostering enterprise-wide efficiency.

Unsure where to begin? We’d love to be your companion in these early days. We’d be happy to grab coffee (yes, coffee, again) to chat about how we can help.

- Document your business needs comprehensively

- Conduct an enterprise-wide organizational scan

- Analyze existing technical architectures for potential reuse

- Research and present best practices tailored to your challenges

The Button team thrives on supporting clients through every project phase, particularly in these critical early stages where bold steps are essential.

The time is now to embrace innovation collaboratively and strategically. 

Doing so will ensure we're not just reinventing wheels but accelerating towards impactful solutions. We love all phases of client projects, but the early analysis to help our clients go boldly forward might just be our favourite!