Build vs. buy
Frameworks for deciding when custom software pays off — and when an off-the-shelf tool wins.
Free monthly brief
Build softwarethat's worth building.
A monthly brief on planning and scoping custom software and AI projects — build-vs-buy, writing a spec that works, avoiding costly mistakes, and what AI can (and can't) do for your business.
Free. One issue a month. Unsubscribe in a click.
What's inside
Practical thinking for the people who commission software.
Writing a good spec
How to describe what you want so engineers build the right thing the first time.
Avoiding costly mistakes
The scoping traps that blow budgets and timelines — and how to spot them early.
What AI can & can’t do
A grounded look at where AI creates real leverage for your business, minus the hype.
Recent issues
A taste of what lands in your inbox.
No. 03June 2026
The spec that saved $200k
How one paragraph of clear scope stopped a six-figure rebuild before it started.
6 min readRead issue
No. 02May 2026
When “just add AI” is the wrong answer
A decision tree for teams weighing an AI feature against a boring, reliable one.
5 min readRead issue
No. 01April 2026
Build vs. buy, without the regret
The five questions to answer before you write a single line of custom code.
7 min readRead issue
Coming soon to CustomSoftware.ai
Describe your project. Get tailored guidance.
A guided chat that helps you scope your build — asking the right questions, flagging risks, and shaping a spec you can hand to a team. We're building it now.
Preview only — not yet functional
“Most software projects don't fail in the code. They fail in the decisions made before anyone starts building.”
The premise behind every issue
Who it's for
Founders
Making the call on what to build before you spend the runway.
Product leaders
Translating strategy into scope your team can actually ship.
Ops teams
Fixing the workflow gaps that software should — and shouldn’t — solve.
Think clearly before you build.
Join the brief and get one sharp, practical issue a month on scoping software and AI that actually works.
Free. One issue a month. Unsubscribe in a click.