Public sector IT and Communications professionals often face the tempting proposition of building their municipal websites in-house. The appeal is understandable: lower upfront costs, complete control over the development process, and the ability to make changes on demand. However, having overseen numerous municipal digital projects, I can tell you that the reality often differs significantly from these initial expectations.
The Budget Mirage
When calculating the cost of an in-house website build, many organizations focus solely on the obvious expenses: development tools, hosting services, and perhaps a few new software licenses. However, the true financial impact runs much deeper.
Consider the hidden costs that often blindside municipal IT departments:
Staff time is perhaps the most significantly underestimated expense. Your team members who take on website development responsibilities aren’t just coding – they’re attending planning meetings, managing stakeholder expectations, documenting processes, and handling inevitable troubleshooting. Every hour spent on website development is an hour away from other critical IT operations.
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