The myth of the "all-in-one" software
Don't fall for this trap.
So many software applications bill themselves as the all-in-one, end-all-be-all, centralized utopia, comprehensive solution, one-ring-to-rule-them-all that your business absolutely has to have.
All of that is great for big marketing slogans on the hero section of a website, but in my experience it's just beautiful mirage.
All-in-one tools are marketed on the premise that the tool can solve all the problems within a particular slice of the business. As an example, consider the website headline at time of writing for ClickUp (a project management software).
The everything app, for work.
One app for projects, knowledge, conversations, and more. Get more done faster—together.
This type of thinking assumes that all work can and should fit within the confines of the software. The reality is that work and conversations happen across lots of different channels, and sometimes teams are beholden to the company's communication culture and other systems for managing other work and processes.
As an example, in both my previous role and in my current role, text messages move projects forward. Would it be nice to centralize comms on one platform? Sure. Would it be practical and aligned with how people actually work? Not at all.
To be fair, ClickUp isn't the only company that has this marketing angle. I've encountered it with marketing platforms, church management systems, and a whole host of tools I've vetted over the years.
Everyone loves simplification, and the idea that all of your existing tech stack can be consolidated into one tool is extremely attractive. It seems so simple. It seems like it will solve a bunch of problems. But what's the catch? What's the opportunity cost of the all-in-one solution?
The real cost is in giving up the control to pick the right-sized, right-priced, right-feature set tools for your needs. When you hitch your wagon to the all-in-one behemoth, you subject yourself to the dangers of vendor lock in, and you lose the flexibility to curate the best tech stack for your needs. If business needs evolve outside or beyond the limits of the all-in-one tool, it means that the all-in-one no longer keeps its promise.
If manufacturers of physical tools like wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers and power tools started promoting their products as the end-all-be-all, they'd sound like total goobers: "This is the last wrench you'll ever need!" "We nailed it! This hammer does it all!" "One set of sockets, infinite possibilities." Seasoned mechanics and tradespeople have a mind boggling number of tools, but they're not looking to condense things down to a single tool that does everything. It's a physical impossibility. They know that it's about having the right tool for the right application.
What I've come to believe is this: You don't need all-in-one. It doesn't matter how many tools you have in your tech stack as long as each one does its job extremely well and plays nicely with other tools when needed.
Don't fall for the allure of all-in-one. Curate your toolbox and build the tech stack that works for you.
Cover Photo: Somewhere in Denali National Park in 2023. Taken with an Apple iPhone 13 Pro. The best camera is the one you have with you.
