A Roadmap to Legacy Apps Modernization: 4 Hands-On Tips for Enterprises

Once effective, high-performing, and reliable, any software used by organizations eventually transforms into legacy, negatively affecting business efficiency and growth.

Because of this, companies allocate a considerable share of their IT budgets to legacy application modernization efforts – not only for efficiency but to uphold a strong brand reputation and secure a competitive advantage in the market.

Yet, legacy modernization isn't only about redesigning architecture or code but, to a large extent about developing a strategic, user-centered vision into any innovation adopted.

To understand when the right time for legacy application modernization is and how businesses can reduce the risks of major system-level changes, keep on reading.

When is it time for legacy modernization?

When an app can no longer meet vital business needs, it becomes outdated. At this point, companies decide whether to continue supporting an outdated application and consider modernization or choose to switch to an alternative solution.

The decision to update legacy systems, like any product-related concern, is up to the business to determine. However, in some cases, modernization is a decision forced by regulatory changes, like the introduction of new global standards and industry-specific requirements.

Types of legacy modernization

Depending on the unique business context, technical specifics of a system, and available resources, legacy application modernization can involve:

• Complete architecture redesign
• Iterative system refactoring
• Component-based updates
• Migration to alternative platforms or services
• Partial or complete UI redesign

Advantages of legacy application modernization

Completing software and design modernization on time provides companies the flexibility to facilitate creativity, foster growth, and deliver digital business innovation. Here are the additional benefits that modernized systems offer.

• Cost optimization. Timely modernization optimizes costs by removing the challenges of maintaining outdated systems. It introduces more efficient technologies, reducing operational expenses and freeing up resources for strategic initiatives.

• Enhanced efficiency. Modernization involves using advanced technologies and methodologies that improve the overall system efficiency. This results in smoother operations and quicker response times.

• Improved security. Modernization deals with vulnerabilities present in legacy systems, protecting sensitive data and ensuring compliance with the latest security standards.

• Minimization of end-of-support risks. Modernization mitigates the risks associated with the end of support for legacy systems through ongoing assistance, security patches, and compatibility with evolving technologies.

• Productivity boost. Modernized applications often feature streamlined workflows and enhanced features that drive employee efficiency and improve the overall productivity level.

• Upgraded employee satisfaction. Updated software gives employees more intuitive and enjoyable experiences. Modern interfaces, new features, and improved performance increase satisfaction and let employees enjoy their working process.

Challenges of enterprise software modernization

A recent study by vFunction and Opticca revealed that 4 out of 5 modernization projects fail, particularly in the case of enterprise-wide initiatives.

Here are some common challenges that enterprises typically encounter with legacy application modernization and practical tips for addressing them.

Isolated organizational structures and bureaucratic complexities

In complex organizational setups characterized by bureaucracy and decision-making complexities, enterprises face challenges in achieving unified strategies and aligning stakeholders' perspectives for system modernization.

How to solve this issue?

Encourage close collaboration between architects and executives to craft a practical implementation roadmap that aligns with the scope of the upcoming modernization project while considering the realistic tech perspective. When assessing the current state of a legacy system, prioritize immediate attention to key issues. This establishes a robust foundation for future changes and promotes more efficient and timely decision-making.

Operational silos

Operational biases often arise due to organizational silos, creating a disconnection between enterprise decision-makers and day-to-day operations. This disconnection can lead to a limited understanding of lower-level processes and the necessary modernization efforts. Consequently, implemented business and technical solutions may lack a practical perspective, resulting in operational inefficiencies and budgetary waste.

How to solve this issue?

While maintaining a balance between the viewpoints of architects and executives, it's crucial to prioritize the perspective of software system users. Recognizing that the efficiency of implemented tools depends heavily on end-users, leaders should invest time in understanding their issues. Initiating discovery workshops and gaining insights into users' daily routines can help reduce operational biases and lead to better modernization outcomes.

Technical debt

Significant technical debt is a common outcome as enterprises undergo technological evolution. The process of modernization often involves multiple implementations and adjustments to existing systems, resulting in increased engineering complexity.

How to solve this issue?

When concerns arise about the dependencies among components within an enterprise system and the feasibility of modernization is questioned, building a new system from scratch is a more practical option. In this case, enterprises should dedicate effort to identify potential technical risks and establish a robust backup plan to ensure operational continuity during the modernization process.

Planning enterprise software modernization

A successful approach to legacy application modernization involves aligning engineering, business, and user perspectives.

The below steps will help you ensure every aspect is actually considered.

Step 1. Evaluate the system

Typically, the decision to modernize is driven by specific challenges in the technology, architecture, or functionality of a legacy application.

To confirm that modernization is the most suitable solution for these challenges, enterprises should assess their systems based on these drivers:

• Business fit
• Business value
• System agility
• Cost
• Complexity
• Risks

Considering both business and IT perspectives, these factors help executives determine if a legacy app lacks in meeting business needs. For example, if the ownership costs are excessive, the technology is overly complex, or there are compromises on security aspects, then modernization is a must.

Step 2. Learn the UX context

Look at the current experiences offered by software systems to assess their dependencies and find UX inconsistencies that may impact overall efficiency and satisfaction.

• Conduct workshops for knowledge-sharing, encourage employees to provide feedback, review past changes, and assess the practical usefulness of solutions implemented to address user issues.

• Explore other applications used by employees in their daily tasks to understand the patterns they are accustomed to and comfortable with.

• Understand the causes behind the existing UX challenges to avoid similar challenges and risks in future redesigns.

Step 3. Evaluate modernization

As companies get started with modernization, they usually have to choose from various methods.

1. Encapsulation: utilizing and extending application features by encapsulating data and functions, presenting them as services through an API.

   
   

2. Rehosting: transferring the application components to alternative infrastructure (physical, virtual, or cloud) without modifying its code, features, or functions.

   
   

3. Replatformation: migrating to a new runtime platform with minimal changes to the code while preserving its structure, features, and functions.

   
   

4. Refactoring: restructuring and optimizing existing code (without altering its external behavior) to eliminate technical debt and enhance nonfunctional attributes.

   
   

5. Rearchitecture: substantially modifying the code, shifting it to a new application architecture, leveraging new and improved capabilities.

   
   

6. Rebuilding: redesigning or rewriting the application component from scratch while preserving its scope and specifications.

   
   

7. Replacement: eliminating the former application component entirely and replacing it, considering new requirements and needs simultaneously.

Step 4. Think of the future

Make sure that the updated solution proves practical in real-world scenarios.

Here are some practical tips for maximizing the value of modernized software systems:

• Ensure any modifications are documented. This facilitates efficient maintenance and agility in keeping the systems operational in the future.

  
  

• Establish 24/7 technical support for modernized systems. This allows engineers to detect technical issues early and solve them before they begin to impact enterprise productivity and jeopardize business outcomes.

  
  

• Invest time in onboarding employees to the changes. Implement corporate training and assign a dedicated support team responsible for addressing any questions and creating comprehensive guides on using the updated systems.

  
  

• Foster a sense of ownership among teams using modernized systems. Help employees understand that their input matters, valuing the opinions and feelings of each team member.

How to make legacy application modernization successful?

Like any digital project, legacy application modernization requires primarily developing a thorough technical strategy specifically for business requirements and modernization context.

At the same time, my years of experience in contributing to modernization projects for enterprises have shown that often the key to success is not only about making reasonable technical decisions but also about bringing consistency to the changes implemented.