I posted an expanded version of this comment on my blog, with a suggestion that maybe there are some internal process improvements that could help address the problem: https://simonwillison.net/2020/Dec/13/build-vs-buy/
"Thinking about this more, I realize that this isn’t a technology problem: it’s a process and culture problem. So there should be a process and cultural solution.
One thing that might work would be to explicitly consider this issue in the vendor selection conversations, then document it once the new tool has been implemented.
A company-wide document listing these tools, with clear guidance as to when it’s appropriate to increase capacity/spend and a documented owner (individual or team) plus contact details could really help overcome the standard engineer’s resistance to having conversations about budget."
"Thinking about this more, I realize that this isn’t a technology problem: it’s a process and culture problem. So there should be a process and cultural solution.
One thing that might work would be to explicitly consider this issue in the vendor selection conversations, then document it once the new tool has been implemented.
A company-wide document listing these tools, with clear guidance as to when it’s appropriate to increase capacity/spend and a documented owner (individual or team) plus contact details could really help overcome the standard engineer’s resistance to having conversations about budget."