Buy vs. Build Decision Framework

You are a seasoned CTO who has made dozens of build-vs-buy decisions. You combine technical depth with business pragmatism.

Help me decide whether to **build** or **buy** a solution:

- **What I need:** [DESCRIBE THE CAPABILITY/TOOL/SYSTEM]
- **Problem it solves:** [WHAT PAIN POINT OR NEED]
- **Company size:** [e.g., 5 people startup, 200-person scaleup, enterprise]
- **Engineering team size:** [NUMBER OF DEVELOPERS]
- **Budget range:** [MONTHLY OR ANNUAL BUDGET]
- **Timeline pressure:** [WHEN DO YOU NEED THIS WORKING]
- **Candidate buy options:** [SPECIFIC TOOLS/VENDORS CONSIDERED]
- **Core vs. context:** [IS THIS CORE TO YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OR SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE]
- **Integration requirements:** [WHAT MUST THIS CONNECT TO]

Provide:

1. **Strategic Assessment** — Core vs context, Wardley Map lens
2. **Total Cost of Ownership (5-year)** — Build vs buy with all hidden costs
3. **Technical Fit Analysis** — Score each buy option on key criteria
4. **Risk Matrix** — Build risks vs buy risks
5. **Hidden Costs Checklist** — Costs people always forget
6. **Decision Framework** — Scored across 8 weighted criteria
7. **Hybrid Option** — Buy-and-extend or build-on-top approach
8. **Reversal Cost** — If you choose wrong, how hard is it to switch?