Is it better for Peakon to invest in integrations with popular HR systems or build our own comprehensive HR suite?

Introduction

The trade-off we're considering is whether Peakon should invest in integrations with popular HR systems or build our own comprehensive HR suite. This decision is crucial for Peakon's product strategy and market positioning. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining the product context, potential impacts, key metrics, and experimental approaches to guide our decision-making process.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm assuming Peakon is primarily an employee engagement platform. Could you confirm if this is still our core offering, or has our product suite expanded?

Why it matters: Helps understand our current market position and product strategy Expected answer: Still primarily focused on employee engagement Impact on approach: If expanded, might lean towards building a comprehensive HR suite

• Business Context: Based on our current revenue model, I'm thinking integrations might be a faster path to market expansion. How critical is rapid growth to our near-term business goals?

Why it matters: Aligns solution with business priorities Expected answer: Rapid growth is a top priority Impact on approach: Would favor integrations for quicker market penetration

• User Impact: Considering our user base, I'm guessing we serve both large enterprises and SMBs. Can you give me a rough breakdown of our customer segments?

Why it matters: Different segments may have varying needs for integrations vs. comprehensive solutions Expected answer: Mix of enterprise and SMB clients Impact on approach: Balanced approach might be necessary to serve both segments

• Technical Feasibility: Given the complexity of HR systems, I'm wondering about our technical capabilities. How would you rate our team's expertise in building comprehensive HR solutions?

Why it matters: Assesses our ability to execute on building a full HR suite Expected answer: Moderate expertise, would require significant investment Impact on approach: Might lean towards integrations if in-house expertise is limited

• Resource Allocation: Thinking about our current roadmap, I'm curious about our available resources. How much of our engineering capacity could we dedicate to this initiative over the next 12 months?

Why it matters: Determines the scope of what we can realistically achieve Expected answer: 30-40% of engineering capacity available Impact on approach: Limited resources might favor a focused integration strategy