SYSE.24:9 - Consequences

Projects gain a comparable choice before architecture, integration, supplier, capability, and assurance commitments become difficult to reverse. Reuse, acquisition, provider Work, access, internal development, and mixed arrangements can be considered without pretending that their short labels identify equivalent objects.

The cost is that an apparently simple purchase decision becomes an engineering decision with explicit interfaces, configuration, evidence, support, capability, and exit. Another practice may have to answer a named question first, so the first result may be a retained tie-set or one worthwhile probe rather than an immediate winner.