1. Always think software product - not system or application. Software should always be treated as a product regardless of the target audience or who creates it.
2. Use software product engineering rigor and discipline - no excuses. Internally built applications fail when you think of them as a "one off" or a "quick fix" system. Systems are software.
3. Build vs. Buy is the wrong question - always buy, even if you build. Why should a custom developed application differ in anyway from a commercially available product? If you choose to build software, build it as if it is a product.
4. Reuse existing assets where possible. Why re-invent the wheel? InQPro is expert at helping inventory business and technical assets you already possess so they can be reused.
5. It is possible to have a lower total cost of ownership, higher quality and a full-feature product.