Every technology has its limits. Up to 50% off all IT assets are in need of modernisation – that’s a reality we have to face.
It is crucial no to sleep through the moment, when the systems you use constrict your business from growing.
Simultaneously, new technologies emerge, with the goal to answer increasing customer expectations. Nevertheless, the quality, stability and costs of some of them leave much to be desired.
With this in mind, the management still remain passive because they identify the replacement process as expensive, risky and too complex in scale. This results in shifting the focus of IT departments solely for keeping existing legacy systems up and running, which requires tremendous resources. The challenge of legacy is real.
Why should you replace your legacy system?
There’s a number of reasons to consider this move. Lack of alignment and agility, constant and cost-generating technical problems or obsolescence of the legacy system are the most important factors.
Just take a look at our graphics to find out more about them:
Lack of alignment
- Old systems may lead to miss market opportunities with competition having more effective business support.
- A legacy system can cause a lack of alignment with legislative requirements and those caused by cyber security threats.
Cost
- The costs of finding niche components or developers for your legacy system may be significant even for minor issues.
- It is likely the system is getting more costly and risky when each day it continues to support core operational activities.
Lack of agility
- The system may not be responsive as your organisation requires it to be for its smooth operation, impending innovation.
- No flexibility of the system means no speed for the demands of the market.
Obsolescence
- No updates, training and support may be available from the producer of the software.
- You may loose control of the system because it was written in a programming language developers no longer know.
Technical problems
- The system may have became so convoluted over time that there is a material risk it will fall.
- The old system may pose integration problems with other systems and platforms.
How to untie this Gordian knot?
The answer is – find a trustworthy software development partner experienced in replacing legacy systems and make the first step towards new business reality. A partner, that is not limited by its own software environment.
Despite the risk, replacing legacy systems brings more to the table than staying with the old solution:
- your organisation does not need to rely on obsolete technology, which is no longer supported and with only few people who understand it,
- it removes the limitations of the old solution and makes room for agility and innovation,
- it gives you control over the costs of work and minimises business disruption,
- it adapts to the current needs of your business,
- it increases the efficiency of the whole organisation.
Staying with the old system is in many cases much riskier than going for the new solution. With this in mind, there’s no time to hesitate. Do not endanger your business by relaying on a legacy software that is not evolving, has long aged or is based on technical debt.
Act now before it’s too late!
How can Future Processing help?
Future Processing has a proven record of successful modernisations of legacies. A reliable nearshore delivery, brought by a company that is known of its capabilities, is a recipe for making the change happen.
We are happy to employ our experience through the whole process. Firstly, it is important to create a compelling and convincing argument for change. Tools such as mock ups and visualisations come in handy when it comes to presenting what is the art of the possible.
What sometimes defer the board’s decision is the lack of complete documentation of the legacy. But there’s no need to be afraid. Full specification is not essential because our Software Product Design team is able to gain a thorough understanding of the needs of the business, getting the bigger picture of the current system. No functionality that is used and popular will be missed.
Support of an experienced software partner during the process of modernisation will help you strike the balance between completing the exercise and incorporating appropriate business features.
However, legacy modernisation requires not only relevant preparation in order to grant minimum business disruption, but also needs support during the process of transformation and after that.
Future Processing employs its proven approach to delivery “The Future Processing Way” in order to ensure transition to a cutting-edge IT solution.