Back there is a change in educational content, publishers must innovate. We discussed in a previous blog post Why is it important to embrace content agility? This way. Of course, such transitions require publishers to make investment decisions. With every innovation, the big question is, will we make or buy this?
Do: independence + uncertainty
Those who decide to develop a new initiative in-house will have to stretch their pockets. R&D, in-house development and maintenance are costly. Such investments really have an advantage. once you’ve built your solution, you’ll have the technology, knowledge, and ability to manage and maintain it yourself. You will be in control.
On the other hand, this requires constant investments and a complete overhaul of the organization. As your innovation continues to evolve, you need to expand your R&D teams to specialize in AI. At the same time, the results are often inconclusive; if you set out to develop AI solutions, you’re entering a trial-by-error field. You can’t be sure that your investment will pay off the moment you start.
To buy: ROI and focus + data concerns
An alternative is to join forces with a supplier that has developed a proven solution for a specific part of the publishing process. This option has a significant advantage. the return on investment is clear right from the start as you will be working with tried and tested solutions. Furthermore, you will be able to focus on your core business and sales organization.
Of course, publishers may fear that their data will end up in the hands of a third party, and they’ll want to avoid vendor lock-in. In practice, however, such concerns are unnecessary. In most cases, the provider will not be interested in keeping your data as it develops its own. As long as you’re working with a trusted party, this won’t be a problem.
One window or an expert?
In order to make the best decision, it is important to decide what you want to be known for. Can you best add value by developing technology in-house or creating and distributing training materials? Being a one-stop shop certainly has its perks. But if you focus on a small piece of the pie—your core business—it will be easier to differentiate yourself. The latter, of course, requires working with the right parties.
Looking to work with a trusted partner? Many publishers have taken advantage of EDIA’s AI-based automated text analytics. Instead of storing their data, we’ve enriched it by creating immediate added value so they can innovate faster. If you want to learn more, be sure to get your free 30-day API trial.