Artifact · v0 (format-only stub)

Build-vs-Buy Memo

For each productization candidate: should SmartOne build it internally, buy a tool and integrate it, partner with a platform player, or license it? The decision framework and the specific recommendations per candidate.

3.1 · Platform Architect · artifact id: build-vs-buy-v0.html · 2026-05-28 · v0 format stub

This artifact is a format placeholder. The Phase 3 engagement builds this memo after the productization inventory is complete. Build-vs-buy decisions require knowing what is already built before deciding what to add. The structure below shows what the live memo will look like.

The 70/30 context

"the 70/30 split applied" team.html · Role 3.1 mandate

The 70/30 split refers to a principle in platform design: roughly 70% of the platform value should come from capabilities SmartOne already has (the open-source tool stack, the annotation methodology, the QA pipeline), and roughly 30% from new capabilities that need to be added. This memo operationalizes that split into specific build, buy, and partner decisions.

Decision framework (when built)

Decision matrix per candidate

Capability	Build (internal)	Buy (vendor tool)	Partner (integration)	License (white-label)	Recommendation
[e.g., Pre-labeling AI assist]	[Cost / time / IP ownership]	[Labelbox SDK, Scale API, Encord]	[Snorkel integration]	[N/A]	[Buy: integrate Labelbox SDK]
[e.g., QA dashboard UI]	[Existing internal tool + UI layer]	[Off-the-shelf BI tool]	[N/A]	[N/A]	[Build: wrap existing tool]
[e.g., Annotation ontology engine]	[SmartOne already has this]	[N/A: already built]	[N/A]	[License to others: not initial scope]	[Build on existing asset]

Platform stack recommendation (output)

[The final section of this memo will be a three-layer stack diagram: existing SmartOne capabilities (bottom layer, already built), integrated vendor tools (middle layer, buy or partner), and new UI and customer-facing layer (top layer, the packaging investment). Each layer will have a cost estimate and a time-to-production estimate.]

What you need to send us to build this

Inputs needed. To build the live memo: (1) the completed productization inventory (prerequisite), (2) which vendor tools SmartOne has evaluated or already uses (Labelbox, Snorkel, Encord, Scale API, etc.), (3) whether there is a budget envelope for platform development, and (4) whether the founders are comfortable with external vendor dependencies in the platform stack or prefer a fully internal build.