# Four Routes Decision Guide

Choose between DIY, Rent, Borrow, and Embed for a specific workflow.

Built Into Work | Vic Akosile | Version 1.0 | October 5, 2026

For: Sponsors, function leaders, and delivery teams
Use when: When deciding where delivery capacity should come from
Suggested time: 20 minutes

Use synthetic or authorized information. Keep sensitive work in approved tools. A named person owns each decision. These tools support discussion and planning; they are not validated assessments.

## 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.

Your response:

________________________________________________________________

### Rent

Use a vendor or platform. Check fit, permissions, integration, total cost, and vendor responsibilities.

Your response:

________________________________________________________________

### Borrow

Use another internal team, a contractor, or professional services. Check access, capacity, handover, and ownership after delivery.

Your response:

________________________________________________________________

### Embed

Dedicated delivery capacity sits with the function. Check demand, prioritization, technical standards, decision rights, and ongoing funding.

Your response:

________________________________________________________________

## 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?

Your response:

________________________________________________________________

### Long-term owner

Who supports the product after delivery?

Your response:

________________________________________________________________

### Evidence that would change the route

What would make a different route preferable?

Your response:

________________________________________________________________

### Next decision

Who decides and when?

Your response:

________________________________________________________________

## Completed companion example

All organizations, workflows, numbers, and results in these examples are fictional and provided for learning. Targets are proposed decision criteria, not validated standards or promised outcomes.

**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.

**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.

## Working record

Owner:
Review date:
Decision:
Evidence still needed:

Original guide: https://builtinto.work/resources/four-routes