Scorchers, Part 1: Tools and Burn Rate
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This is a short article about one aspect of purchasing, for engineers. I had an engineering manager once — I’ll leave his real name out of it, but let’s call him Barney — who had a catchy response to the question...
Summary
This short blog by Jason Sachs examines purchasing decisions engineers make around development tools, with a focus on understanding and managing burn rate. Readers will learn practical considerations for tool buying that reduce waste and improve ROI on embedded projects.
Key Takeaways
- Estimate total cost of ownership for tools, including licenses, training, maintenance, and integration overhead.
- Track and model burn rate to guide purchasing cadence and avoid surprise budget shortfalls.
- Compare ROI and payback time across vendors to minimize lock-in and prioritize high-impact purchases.
- Negotiate pilot terms and phased purchases to de-risk tool adoption and reduce upfront spend.
Who Should Read This
Embedded engineers, engineering managers, and procurement leads who influence or make tool-purchasing decisions and want to reduce waste and improve project ROI.
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