Skreddersys

Skreddersys is a Norwegian term describing a tailor-made system engineered to meet specific institutional requirements. It is used across sectors such as information technology, industrial automation, and service delivery to distinguish bespoke solutions from off-the-shelf products. A skreddersys typically emerges when standard software or equipment cannot adequately accommodate unique workflows, regulatory constraints, or data integration needs.

Key characteristics include alignment with organizational processes, modular architecture, configurability, and the ability to integrate with existing systems via APIs or adapters. The design process emphasizes requirements analysis, stakeholder involvement, risk assessment, data governance, security, and traceability.

Lifecycle steps include discovery and requirements, architecture and design, configuration and development, validation and testing, deployment, training, and maintenance. Depending on scope, skreddersys may be implemented as on-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid solutions; governance and change management are critical to ensure long-term sustainability.

Benefits include better fit to workflows, improved efficiency, data quality, and regulatory compliance; trade-offs include higher upfront cost, longer delivery times, and ongoing maintenance. There is also a risk of vendor lock-in if a solution is heavily customized, and a need for ongoing governance to handle updates and interoperability.

Common application areas include enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, manufacturing execution, and specialized analytics portals. In software engineering, skreddersys is closely related to bespoke software development, custom solution design, and system integration.