The Challenge of the “Build”

Buy or Build?  That is a question that the technologists of every Asset Manager  ask when they come to their firms come to the inevitable cross-roads of systems that no longer meet their needs.  Should we upgrade?  Should we launch a search for a new system?  Or, should we try to build our own?

If a technology team has a track record and the firms’ needs are sufficiently unique, it may be worth the investment.  Such was the case with our client.

The primary concern was that the system be an ideal fit for their compliance users.   Like many technically savvy asset managers, our client had adopted an Agile approach, planning to deliver small, contained pieces to the end users in rapid sprints to ensure the system Technology delivered truly met the end users’ needs.

However, Agile was not developed with this industry in mind.  Agile’s big assumption is that the users have a near endless amount of time and patience to QA the multitude of features that will be delivered during the build of a complex product.  Moreover, if users find themselves testing features or modules that have significantly missed the mark for functionality, they may soon lose faith in the project and their development team. 

What’s a scrum master to do?

Enter the idea of a Proxy—that is, a dedicated QA tester who has done the job of the end user.  The Proxy attends design meetings and thoroughly understands what the users need.  Proxies are tech-savvy and able to understand both limitations and improvements that technology can make, rather than simply looking for a clone of the old system with a few enhancements.  He is able to help re-engineer workflows for efficiency where possible, as well as explain and support those features.  She will also be able to provide unbiased feedback to the development team, and save them frustration and embarrassment if some code is not truly ready.