11.1 Checklist for successful application modernization
Our checklist of 7 things to consider for a successful AAM project is as follows:
Legacy software does not always fall under “old” or “outdated” definitions. There are more aspects to assess when identifying the legacy. That is why you need to assess all systems in place to uncover the current and potential issues it can bring up soon. The assessment should be systematic and detailed: Study all aspects of your technology, from code and architecture to visual look and feel, considering your future business plans for product growth.
Based on the assessment conducted at the first phase, choose the modernization approach that best fits your needs and will help you deliver results fast. Aside from the modernization approaches, consider existing products you can use instead. There is no need to reinvent the wheel if there is a SaaS solution available at a fraction of cost. Yet, if your system solves rather specific tasks or you want to be able to build more features on top of it, custom product development services might be right for you. In this case, adopting agile software development practices can help you speed up the process and deliver value fast.
Legacy systems often fail to perform as needed due to their overly complex structure. When modernizing your system, less is more in terms of both architecture and functionality. Start by implementing only the most important features. Consider a microservices architecture approach to make your product scalable. Additionally, make sure the newly released application will work well with the rest of the tools used in your business by default. If you plan to change any of the tools soon, consider several possible options and keep their requirements in mind when building your application.
When reengineering your system, make sure you use a solid and future-ready technology stack. The choice of technologies should completely depend on the product specifics. Consult with your internal IT staff or address a professional tech consultancy. The right tech stack contributes to building a performant, reliable and efficient product. Adopt a solid quality assurance and testing process to deliver the best results.
To avoid the same mistakes that made you reengineer your current solution, introduce (or adopt best practices used by other companies) a set of coding standards and internal processes. Orderly documented and clean code make your software easy to understand, extend and maintain in the future.
Even if you have a brand-new system running like a clockwork, you will still need your legacy software, just in case. So, don’t kill it all at once. Document and archive your solutions so you can easily access and refer to them when needed. Therefore, you need to support your legacy system for some time and plan for retiring your legacy system only when your new product is up and running.
Working with the old systems for years, your employees might need some time and guidance to master the new software. So be ready to invest in knowledge transfer and staff training for better performance and efficiency. Additionally, plan for regular system updates. If you fail to keep your product up to date, you will soon face another modernization challenge.