Four Routes Decision Guide
Choose between DIY, Rent, Borrow, and Embed for a specific workflow.
Use this guide to structure a discussion, then record your answers in the editable template or printable PDF. Use synthetic or authorized information. A named person owns each decision.
Compare the four routes
These are capacity choices inside the Internal Product House. A portfolio can use all four.
- DIY
- Someone already in the function builds a bounded solution. Check approved tools, scope, testing, time, and maintenance.
- Rent
- Use a vendor or platform. Check fit, permissions, integration, total cost, and vendor responsibilities.
- Borrow
- Use another internal team, a contractor, or professional services. Check access, capacity, handover, and ownership after delivery.
- Embed
- Dedicated delivery capacity sits with the function. Check demand, prioritization, technical standards, decision rights, and ongoing funding.
See a completed companion example
- DIY
- Consider for a narrow draft-only prototype with a capable owner.
- Rent
- Consider if an existing service-desk product already fits the approved policy-answer workflow.
- Borrow
- Borrow retrieval expertise for a scoped prototype with a documented handoff.
- Embed
- Consider after sustained demand justifies continuing domain-focused capacity.
Record the choice
No single score determines the answer. Compare problem fit, context and access, delivery capacity, continuity, and decision authority.
- Chosen route and tradeoff
- Which route fits now, and what alternative did you consider?
- Long-term owner
- Who supports the product after delivery?
- Evidence that would change the route
- What would make a different route preferable?
- Next decision
- Who decides and when?
See a completed companion example
- Chosen route and tradeoff
- Borrow for the pilot; compare Rent before committing a custom production build.
- Long-term owner
- Service-desk lead owns the workflow; platform partner owns technical support.
- Evidence that would change the route
- A suitable existing product, continuing product demand, or unavailable internal capacity.
- Next decision
- Sponsor reviews fit, cost, and support evidence after the synthetic test.
Record the next decision.
What will you do next, who owns it, and when will you review the evidence? Keep unresolved assumptions visible.