Many articles have been written about the need to migrate from legacy platforms in order to mitigate the risks that they pose. I wrote one myself in the early 90's when 'middleware' was a thing. The risks of living with legacy systems have been well-known for a long time within the industries most affected such as manufacturing, banking, insurance and healthcare.
But the demand for change has never been greater. Generative AI adoption is a game-changer. The impacts of increasing cyber risk have sent shock-waves through the business world. Customer experience expectations are sky high. And the regulators are becoming more and more demanding. Dealing with these issues with out-dated technology is becoming almost impossible.
Modern, customer-centric, agile and scalable alternatives are widely available to replace the old systems. In fact, there have always been technical alternatives. But out-dated systems persistently remain at the heart of operations in many organisations. Why is this?
Could it be the culture of legacy thinking that is causing the inertia? I think so.
Legacy thinking habits and how to break them:
Don't try to find a single system that will solve all your problems. It is unlikely that there is a single solution to replace your legacy system. But this is not a barrier - modern systems are flexible and adaptable. They are designed to work together in ecosystems. Be open to the idea of using a mixed portfolio of applications working together to give you what you need. You'll be able to retire elements of your existing systems faster, and build in flex for the future.
Don't get bogged down in the details. Focus on the big needs. Let go of the belief that you need to articulate your requirements in detail to get what you want. The details can - and should - emerge during system delivery. This will help you get out of the blocks faster and show tangible benefits sooner.
Be prepared to solve your problem in small chunks and deliver these quickly. This will enable you to progress faster and change direction when you need to. The pace of IT capability change has never been faster. When something new and better comes along to make you more competitive or streamlined, you may need to reprioritise and re-order your delivery in order to reap the reward.
Don't expect IT to be able to accurately predict the cost and timescales. Budget for a run-rate that you can afford and start the journey (with a talented and experienced team) and then operate as efficiently and productively as you can. This will created financial stability and you can turn your focus on value delivered.
Get comfortable with things being uncertain - especially at the start. Be honest with what you can be certain about. Keep the horizons short, and as things get delivered everyone will become more confident with the approach and worry less about the future!
Get comfortable with experimentation and embrace the benefits that the approach brings. In a world where new technology is arriving on an almost a daily basis, the only way to keep up is to experiment. Service-based systems more often than not come with free-trials and different service and functionality tiers. Don't be afraid to to try them out and discover what they can offer. Ultimately, this will lead to more innovative and economical solutions that will reflect positively on your bottom line.
Let go of the notion that IT and the business are transactional entities. There's no time for this. Encourage your SMEs and your delivery partners and developers to work together as one team developing a 'product'. Compromises will need to be made. So, building trust and empathy between those who are building the solution and those that will be using it is crucial.
Embedding these ways of thinking into your organisation could help you finally pull the plug on those pesky systems that have been keeping you awake at night!
Contact me now If you'd like to discuss ways in which me and my team can help you shift the thinking in your organisation. We provide training and coaching to leaders and teams to improve their delivery effectiveness in the modern digital enterprise.
Let us help you break your legacy thinking. Contact us for an informal chat.