For BlackBerry's enterprise mobility management solution, how should we weigh expanding third-party integrations against strengthening proprietary BlackBerry services?

Introduction

The trade-off we're examining today is between expanding third-party integrations and strengthening proprietary BlackBerry services for BlackBerry's enterprise mobility management solution. This decision is crucial for the product's future direction and market positioning. I'll analyze this trade-off by considering various factors including market dynamics, user needs, technical feasibility, and business impact.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Based on the current market trends, I'm thinking our competitors might be gaining ground with their open ecosystems. Could you share how our market share has been trending over the past year compared to competitors with more open platforms?

Why it matters: Helps gauge the urgency of expanding third-party integrations Expected answer: Slight decline in market share Impact on approach: Would prioritize third-party integrations if market share is declining

• Considering our revenue model, I assume a significant portion comes from proprietary services. What percentage of our revenue is currently derived from our proprietary services versus third-party integrations?

Why it matters: Helps understand the financial implications of the trade-off Expected answer: 70% from proprietary services, 30% from third-party integrations Impact on approach: Would need to carefully balance revenue streams in the decision

• Looking at user behavior, I'm curious about adoption rates. What percentage of our enterprise customers are actively using our proprietary services versus third-party integrations?

Why it matters: Indicates user preferences and potential areas for growth Expected answer: 60% actively use proprietary services, 40% use third-party integrations Impact on approach: Would focus on improving areas with lower adoption rates

• From a technical standpoint, I'm wondering about our current integration capabilities. How scalable is our current architecture for supporting additional third-party integrations?

Why it matters: Determines the feasibility and cost of expanding integrations Expected answer: Moderately scalable, would require some investment Impact on approach: Would need to factor in development costs and timeline for expansion

• Considering our development resources, how are they currently allocated between maintaining proprietary services and developing new integrations?

Why it matters: Helps understand current priorities and potential for reallocation Expected answer: 70% on proprietary services, 30% on integrations Impact on approach: Would need to consider resource reallocation in the recommendation