There are three basic models of cooperation with a supplier:
- Deploying IDM in-house.
- Turnkey delivery.
- Supplier and customer collaborate on implementation.
IdM in-house
This route is possible, but I do not recommend developing your own IdM software. It is unnecessary. Buy an IdM or use open-source. There are several open-source IdM tools that you can download and start using immediately. You will get a robust supported tool with many features. Above all, choose an IdM that has a long history of quality development and support.
Are you planning to tailor an IdM to your organization? If so, expect the implementation to be very time consuming. It usually takes us 6-12 months to train an IdM developer/consultant before they become fully independent.
For larger projects, you will need at least one full-time developer, a process analyst, as well as a tester and a project manager. At a minimum you need a team of 3 people if implementing in-house. When building a new team, expect a minimum of a year of learning the product, process analysis and solution integration. IdM can’t be done as a sideline. That’s already a really big investment to consider.
With us, we quickly integrate a new colleague into the project team. His learning curve is therefore considerably faster. He gains knowledge from more experienced colleagues. We have a detailed on-boarding process with documentation, training, examples.
I recommend implementing it yourself if you have the necessary capacity of developers and analysts. In education, for example, this is a common scenario.
Turnkey delivery including follow-up service
This is the most common model of cooperation. The advantage is the speed of implementation. The supplier usually offers the following services:
- project implementation,
- license, product maintenance = new versions, bugfixes of the product,
- SLA support solutions,
- development hours,
- training, consulting.
If you want to have a successful Identity Management project, delegate a representative from your company to own the IDM solution. For simplicity, let’s call such a representative an IDM administrator. It is not a person who must know how to program. He or she does not have to develop or manage the system. It is a representative of the investor who understands the features of the solution and knows how the company’s internal processes work. He understands what systems are integrated, to what level and why. Is able to evaluate, specify and justify further development. Or, alternatively, can reject the requirements due to low economic return.
If you don’t have such a representative, I recommend you identify one as soon as possible.
Both supplier and customer are involved
The supplier performs the first deployment. For subsequent development projects, he gradually becomes a mentor and guide. We prefer this model of cooperation, it works well for us. The customer has time to gain experience and responsibility and to evaluate and plan whether and when to get involved in the development work.
The customer has its own implementation team, which is usually involved in the second phase of the project. The customer can best identify which features they really need. They can also best assess whether the supplier’s productivity suits them. Both parties build a relationship based on mutual trust and understanding. The customer becomes involved in the process gradually, in parallel with the acquisition of knowledge. The openness of the supplier in transferring know-how is a prerequisite.
Possible models:
- Customer handles administration, supplier develops and develops solutions, integrates systems,
- supplier develops only the product. Customer is responsible for deployment, administration + process adjustments.
Think also when making decisions that internal staff time is not free. You are spending a lot of resources on internal employees as well. Also factor in the time (money) for training and gaining experience. In general, it makes sense to outsource services for which you don’t have the know-how and it doesn’t make sense to acquire it in the long run.
Conclusion
What kind of relationship do we prefer?
Openness and freedom is a priority in our company’s DNA. We use free software and believe in free collaboration. We want customers to work with us based on preference, not necessity. We do not want vendor lock-in.
We usually deliver first projects on a turnkey basis. Then our customer administers the IDM and we handle the development. We also welcome significant customer involvement in the process. A situation where we do everything turnkey can be risky; it is important that the client takes responsibility for promoting the system internally in the organization.
