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Learn how ArcKit accelerates vendor selection by generating evaluation criteria, compliance checklists, and comparative architecture assessments.

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When to Use This Approach

Use ArcKit for technology assessment when you need to:
  • Evaluate competing SaaS products or platforms
  • Assess build vs. buy decisions
  • Compare cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP)
  • Review supplier proposals against requirements
  • Generate technical evaluation scorecards
  • Document architectural implications of vendor choices

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Relevant Commands

# Initialise vendor evaluation project
arckit init --type evaluation

# Generate evaluation criteria
arckit.requirements

# Document vendor solution architecture
arckit.design --vendor vendor-name

# Compliance assessment
arckit.compliance --vendor vendor-name

# Risk assessment for vendor lock-in
arckit.risks --focus vendor-lockin

# Cost comparison
arckit.costs --compare vendor-a,vendor-b

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Example Walkthrough: Data Platform Vendor Selection

Reference project: arckit-test-project-v8-ons-data-platform This example demonstrates evaluating analytics platforms for official statistics, including Five Safes governance requirements.

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Step 1: Define Evaluation Criteria

ArcKit helped generate technical requirements covering:
  • Data governance and Five Safes compliance
  • Statistical disclosure control capabilities
  • Integration with ONS data sources
  • User access and audit controls
  • Performance and scalability needs
  • UK data residency requirements

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Step 2: Vendor Architecture Assessment

For each vendor, documented:
  • Platform architecture and data flows
  • Security and compliance controls
  • Integration patterns with existing systems
  • Operational support model
  • Licensing and cost structure

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Step 3: Compliance Verification

ArcKit generated compliance checklists for:
  • Five Safes framework (Safe People, Projects, Settings, Data, Outputs)
  • UK GDPR and Statistics and Registration Service Act
  • Government security classifications
  • Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA)

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Step 4: Risk and Lock-in Analysis

Risk assessment covered:
  • Vendor dependency and exit costs
  • Data portability and migration paths
  • Proprietary vs. open standards
  • Commercial viability of supplier
  • Support and SLA guarantees

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Step 5: Cost Comparison

Generated total cost of ownership (TCO) models:
  • Licensing fees (per-user, per-capacity)
  • Infrastructure and hosting costs
  • Implementation and training
  • Ongoing support and maintenance
  • Exit and migration costs

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Key Artifacts Generated

Evaluation Criteria

Weighted scorecards aligned to business requirements

Vendor Architectures

Documented solution designs for each candidate

Compliance Matrix

Requirements mapped to vendor capabilities

TCO Analysis

5-year cost projections and comparison

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Best Practices

Use arckit.requirements to establish objective criteria before engaging vendors. This prevents feature-driven distraction and ensures alignment with actual needs.
Run arckit.compliance early to eliminate vendors who cannot meet regulatory requirements. No point evaluating solutions that cannot achieve certification.
Demand detailed architecture documentation from vendors, then use ArcKit to analyse integration complexity, data flows, and operational implications.
Look beyond license fees. ArcKit’s cost modeling captures implementation effort, training, ongoing support, and crucially - exit costs if you need to migrate.
Use arckit.risks --focus vendor-lockin to document dependency risks. Understand data export formats, API portability, and migration paths before committing.
If running PoCs, use ArcKit to document PoC architecture, test scenarios, and success criteria. This ensures consistent evaluation across vendors.

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Evaluation Dimensions

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Functional Fit

  • Feature coverage against requirements
  • Workflow alignment with user needs
  • Customisation and extensibility options
  • Integration capabilities with existing systems

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Non-Functional Requirements

  • Performance and scalability characteristics
  • Security controls and certification
  • Availability and disaster recovery
  • Support for accessibility standards

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Compliance & Governance

  • Regulatory alignment (GDPR, sector-specific)
  • Data residency and sovereignty
  • Audit and logging capabilities
  • Certification status (ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus)

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Commercial & Risk

  • Total cost of ownership over 5 years
  • Licensing model flexibility
  • Vendor financial stability
  • Lock-in and exit strategy
  • SLA guarantees and penalty clauses

ONS Data Platform

Analytics platform selection with Five Safes

Cloud Migration

Cloud provider comparison and selection

Security & Compliance

Compliance verification for vendors

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