Top tips: How to ensure in-house software success

Top Tips is a weekly column where we highlight what’s trending in the tech world and list practical ways to explore these trends. This week, we focus on building successful internal software.

Have you heard the phrase “eat your own dog food” before? While it might sound unusual at first, the principle behind "dogfooding" is powerful: if you're building software, you should be its first and most frequent user.

Using your own tools internally does more than demonstrate confidence in your product. It helps clarify design decisions, uncovers real-world friction, and fosters empathy among teams for end users. At ManageEngine, we’ve experienced this first-hand. Operating on our own technology stack has brought significant benefits, not only in product development but also in team alignment and trust in our systems.

If you are considering developing internal tools or end-to-end platforms for your business, here are a few tips to help you get it right. These suggestions will ensure that you are not just building software, but creating something truly valuable.

1. Build for your pain points, not your wish list

There is often a strong temptation to create something feature-rich from the outset. However, impactful software starts with solving real problems, not implementing unnecessary features. Begin by observing your team’s daily workflows. Identify the tasks that consume time or involve inefficient processes. Are people relying on spreadsheets, long email threads, or external tools that are not suited to their needs? These are your opportunities to make a meaningful difference.

Addressing a specific, recurring issue ensures that the software you build will be adopted and appreciated. Moreover, it aligns your development efforts with clear business objectives. While it may be exciting to think about advanced analytics and AI features, they should not come at the cost of solving fundamental usability challenges. A strong foundation of practical improvements sets the stage for scalable and sustainable software growth.

2. Use it every day, and across departments

Once the tool is launched, do not limit its use to a single team or purpose. Incorporate it into everyday workflows and encourage adoption across departments. Real usage offers insights that no amount of pre-launch testing can replicate. When departments such as marketing, HR, and engineering use the same software, the feedback becomes more diverse and comprehensive.

This approach often reveals usability concerns, hidden assumptions, and unexpected requirements. For example, the HR team might use a project tracker differently from the development team, highlighting gaps in access controls, workflows, or data formats. By consistently using your own software, you hold it to a higher standard, allowing your organization to identify and address issues proactively.

3. Treat internal tools like customer-facing products

One common oversight is treating internal software as less important than customer-facing products. Even if the code is well-written, a poor user interface, lack of documentation, or irregular updates can lead to low adoption rates. Your teams deserve the same level of quality and care as your external users.

Assign a dedicated product owner, maintain a clear roadmap, and collect user feedback regularly. When internal teams see that the tools they use are actively maintained and improved, they are more likely to engage with them seriously. This investment also fosters a product-minded culture within the organization, improving standards across all software initiatives.

4. Build with scale and long-term potential in mind

While your current objective may be to solve an internal problem, consider what might happen if a partner or customer expresses interest in using the tool. Designing the software with scalability, modularity, and maintainability in mind opens the door to future opportunities, including external deployment.

Even if commercial use is not on the roadmap, thoughtful architecture helps future-proof your operations. Businesses evolve, and tools that work for ten users may not be effective for 50. Planning for growth from the outset reduces the need for major overhauls later and positions your team to innovate rather than constantly rework foundational components.

Building internal software is one of the most effective ways to align your tech stack with business goals. More than a technical decision, it reflects a mindset—one of accountability, user empathy, and high standards. When you use what you build, you close feedback loops and hold your own work to a higher bar.

We stand by our work, and you could too

If this topic resonated with you, check out the latest episode of Server Room, the enterprise IT podcast by ManageEngine, featuring Saravanan Muthian, CIO of Zoho Corp. He shares valuable insights into how businesses can benefit from relying on their internal tech stack. Adopting this mindset communicates a powerful message: “We believe in our work, and we are confident enough to depend on it.”