Modernizing your legacy tech is inevitable if you have successfully identified the systems holding back your business. But, as a successful business leader, you must identify potential roadblocks modernization can bring to your business. So, how do you effectively navigate through the challenges? This article at Forbes discusses how tech leaders must overcome the challenges of modernizing their organizations’ old-age legacy systems.
Overcoming the Challenges of Legacy Tech Modernization
Calculate Direct and Indirect Cost Savings
Modernizing legacy systems will undoubtedly reduce maintenance and support costs. Furthermore, it offers better data to help you make smarter and faster decisions, giving your business a competitive advantage. Often, calculating an estimated budget to run the legacy applications in the upgraded version is difficult. Therefore, invest in systems crucial to your business at the initial stage. Additionally, accommodate unforeseen costs in your budget, such as scaling up the workforce or onboarding newer technologies.
Effectively Communicate the Benefits of Modernizing Legacy Tech
Besides financial benefits, your board members, employees, and stakeholders must understand your investment’s long-term opportunities. Modernizing legacy tech helps business growth, aids greater efficiency, and allows you to attract and retain top talent. C-suite executives value sustainable business development. Justify the short-term costs of modernizing your legacy systems by highlighting the opportunities.
Engage Your Employees for Better Results
Before modernizing your systems, conduct an audit to assess what works, what needs improvement, what your customers expect, and what your employees need. This will give you the direction to choose the right technology to achieve your organizational goals.
Plan and Prioritize
Modernizing legacy systems can be a complicated process. Therefore, work with modernization partners and internal stakeholders to create a clear roadmap. Then, prioritize the systems that demand immediate attention and will provide the most value. Establish a timescale for each milestone.
Do Not Hamper Business Continuity
Legacy systems are an integral part of business operations. As a result, achieving a smooth transition from legacy to modernized technology is necessary for business continuity. To maintain uninterrupted business operations, you must provide adequate training to all employees using the system. Answer all their questions and provide them with detailed documentation.
To read the original article, click on https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/08/25/16-strategies-for-overcoming-the-challenges-of-modernizing-legacy-tech/?sh=686dd07c16a1.
