Operational friction rarely begins with a single tool. It appears at the handoffs, when client details move between teams, project status is reconstructed in a meeting, or billing information arrives after work has already changed shape. A connected practice starts by mapping those recurring moments of rework.

The central question for a firm evaluating its operating model is simple: where should work, client context, billing data, and accountability meet so a manager can understand the whole engagement without assembling a new story every time? The answer should be tested against the workflow a firm actually runs, not a generic checklist.

As a research step, identify two high-friction handoffs and define the evidence each role needs at that point. The strongest software conversations are rooted in those operational facts, then expanded into a platform comparison when the firm understands what needs to connect.