Almost every software vendor is quick to wave the “Out-of-the-Box” (OOTB) flag for its products. And while I'm more focused on enterprise content management (ECM), this issue warrants exploration that is applicable in the ECM world as well as products beyond ECM (SaaS, business intelligence, entry-level accounting systems, and countless other product categories).
Salespeople hang their hats on the wondrous and powerful OOTB useability of their products, meaning that minimal or no customizations are necessary. So, why does it often cost much more than expected to configure OOTB products? And are they really introducing savings/efficiencies?
Let’s examine the mythology around OOTB products and try to separate fiction from facts.
Myth 1: OOTB products are easy to install and configure If your understanding of an enterprise OOTB product installation process is d:\setup.exe, then you’ve been hands-off for longer than you realize. The simplicity of this process remains intact in many respects for workstation-based software; however, server-based software has a few extra steps.
Reality: Make no mistake about it -- OOTB ECM installations are often complex, in that they are typically dependent upon enterprise-class products such as database servers, application servers, directory services, Web servers, backup/disaster recovery processes, operating systems, and other advanced components. Consequently, there must be coordination among these systems during installation to ensure that the software is installed properly. Once installed, the new system must be configured to accommodate the specific business requirements of your organization (or business area). This in itself can be a lengthy and involved process because so many configuration options are available. All told, the installation and configuration of ECM software can take a substantial amount of time without ever touching a line of code.
Myth 2: OOTB products rarely require coding customization OOTB software has become so simple to use and offers so much flexibility that no coding customizations are necessary. With these enhanced capabilities, IT people, administrators, and users can easily make all the changes they need to without the need for developers.
Reality: Many ECM OOTB products can be configured extensively, as noted above. However, there are times when code is necessary to augment the configuration options. This is typically dependent upon the complexity of the software, advanced workflows/reporting, and the need for integration with external systems. In these cases, the code may be a scripting language embedded within the product, or it can rely upon the use of standard development platforms such as Java, C Sharp, or VB. Because there are times when coding is needed, it is important to understand how frequently it is required for the products you are working with or evaluating.
Myth 3: OOTB products require minimal or no analysis With the simplicity and ease of use of your ECM OOTB product, there is rarely a need for analysis. In fact, once installed, technical people and business people alike can get up to speed on it immediately, negating the need for in-depth analysis. In these cases, a quick meeting and an iteration or two of the system will suffice.
Reality: This is probably the most misunderstood aspect of OOTB software. While it is frequently easier to configure and support, the introduction of a new technology introduces change, and with that change comes planning/discovery, testing, and migration to new platforms. Consequently, it is imperative that time is allotted and that the appropriate people participate in the analysis effort.
When you add up these three myths, along with many others you might be working through, you’ll see that OOTB for the enterprise doesn’t equate to OOTB for the workstation. That being said, don't be scared off from using OOTB products. Being wise to the prevailing mythology will allow you to make smarter and more thoughtful decisions.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the subject. You bring out an excellent point regarding the exercise of planning for an Enterprise product typically highlights procedural and policy issues that have not been considered.
Maybe we should starting calling it OAATB - Outside and Around The Box!
Stay well and I look forward to any additional thoughts you have to share on the Blog.
Thanks for the reflective and interesting commentary and I very much appreciate your observations related to my upcoming book and OOTB. So, for those who suffer from Nice Guy Syndrome, especially the sales guys, they are perhaps the worst offenders of pitching OOTB products without the appropriate level of thinking and design. In place, I'd propose a new Nice; one that is Effectively Nice and one that states the realities right up front of implementing OOTB technologies. It may be a bit more painful initially; however, the end result is much more meaningful and reliable.
As for 2020, may we all be effectively nice and may we all have optimized experiences with OOTB.
Thanks for sharing your router story; a true OOTB experience that can prove out with horrible results. Not sure how many times I've brought up my laptop where you get a few "Linksys" SSIDs being displayed!
So many great capabilities are available in today's OOTB products. Now we need to make sure that organizations/people leverage them accordingly.
"Out of the box" and "plug and play" are two of the most dangerous concepts that have ever hit the computer industry.
Having to do a little reading (RTFM newb!) and configuration isn't a bad thing. You understand how the product works, you understand the safety and security features.
I had the the pleasure of hooking up a wireless router today. I did the "alternate version" where everything is entered by hand instead of the "wizard" which would have left all of the security features at default. Needless to say unless the manufacturer left some backdoor in there, which configuration do you think is more secure?
Your profile notes you’re the author of Nice Guys Can Get the Corner Office. Perhaps you think that nice solution providers can get the repeat corner office business; and that solution providers must progressively look within themselves and their products/services, and rather than deploy smoke and mirrors must progressively improve their solutions from the inside in order to produce more outward simplicity and value for both their investors and consumers. Perhaps increasingly best practices will be embedded within, and consistently applied thanks to, the future state of quality within turnkey solutions. Perhaps even as the intrinsic and pervasive quality and value of such solutions improves, there will always still be some need to internalize a few words from your post, e.g.:
“the introduction of a new technology introduces change, and with that change comes planning/discovery” — Edelman
Perhaps what 'Out-of-the-Box' really means is much different today then what it will mean by 2020 and increasingly perfected vision. Perhaps improving turn-key out-of-the-box solutions from within will increasingly mean happy consumers and investors, and repeat corner office business.
Your post is excellent Russ. Out of the Box is such a great sales phrase that it is developing the wrap sheet of overused cliche where software is concerned. More accurate would be "some assembly required" but most accurate may be...."You Don't Know What You Don't Know."
Often the discovery process that goes into implementing any Enterprise level software is a valuable one. It frequently points out procedural and policy processes that OOTB software cannot possibly predict. That is when the realization hits that a good OOTB solution better be configurable, and code better be addable, and that support better be available from the vendor long after the sale.
If we draw a drastic but simple comparison, even a toaster works out of the box, but not until it is plugged in to the power source. It's a good thing toaster salesmen don't often get quoted using this phrase.
Personally though, I prefer a product that has significant range in terms of configurability so that I can get out of it what I want at the time I need it. Your assessment that integration with other systems is what requires a great deal of additional configurability is right on, even with OOTB systems written specifically for a system.
In a day when we are encouraged often to "think outside the box" it seems odd that a selling point of software would be that it will work with everything.
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