Many organisations have older, outdated systems that are instrumental to their day-to-day operations; we call these legacy systems. As they’re built on old technology, they can become slow, cumbersome or don’t have the agility to integrate new technologies.
Having been in place for such a long time, legacy systems often become deeply ingrained into organisations, which makes them difficult to replace without causing disruption or risk.
With ‘digital transformation’ a frequently-used buzz term, many software companies would say you should replace your old legacy systems. But that isn’t your only option!
While there are benefits to replacing your legacy system, legacy system modernisation is a practical alternative which is not always considered.
But, can I not just leave it as it is?
You could. But you might end up like the US Government and spend 80% of your IT budget on old tech.
That money could be going on improve your technology for your members’ benefit, ultimately improve retention rates. (More on that here).
Membership bodies have used their system everyday since their organisation was established. Therefore, it’s completely understandable why they don’t want to get a new system as they’re familiar with the tech and it is holding masses of valuable data.
Putting the cost aside, replacing a legacy system requires careful planning to ensure staff are trained, other systems are integrated properly and that there are no shortfalls in productivity or delivering services.
In this case, legacy system modernisation is the best way forward. Not sure what that is? I’ll use my favourite analogy…
Add a turbo to a 20-year-old 1 litre car? Yes, please!
I like to think of legacy system modernisation as modifying an old or slow car. Not following?
Imagine your 15-year-old computer system was a 20-year-old-car that couldn’t reach 60mph on a motorway. You want a faster car, but you’re too attached to the one you’ve had since you passed your test, and you’d hate to see it headed to the scrapyard.
Let’s now think of your organisation as this vehicle. Your business is the shell of the car, while your legacy system is the engine and the heart of all operations.
What can you do? Add a turbo, upgrade your exhaust system, reduce your car’s weight, get new spark plugs – I’m not a mechanic so my knowledge only goes so far…
BUT! The same applies to your legacy system. In the same way modifications make your car perform better, legacy system modernisation speeds up your application, gives it a modern and fresh look and can be fine-tuned to get the best performance out of your system.
This also overcomes a major problem for organisations using outdated systems – asking an old system to do new things it was not built for. Legacy systems hinder an organisation’s stability and growth, likewise a car can only perform as its mechanics allow; whoever is driving.
What if I don’t want a faster car?
When your organisation is using a system every day, it’s hard to accept that it needs modernising or upgrading.
The best thing about modernisation is that you can make your applications work in the way you need them to.
Maybe you’re happy with your system, but you wish it had a better reporting function. Or maybe it performs your key functions well and you just want to integrate a new section to your application.
It could even be a simple case of moving what you’ve got onto a cloud-based platform so you and your staff can access data on the go.
Modernisation offers the following benefits:
- Improved efficiency: Modernised IT systems deliver better performance, reduced staff workload and better experiences for customers.
- Reduced costs: As well as improved efficiencies and reduced staff workload, you will save money from hardware and licensing costs.
- Agility: A modernised legacy system provides more scope to implement new technologies and helps you adapt to different business conditions.
Ever tried to get a classic car restored?
No? Neither have I. But going back to the classic car analogy; antique cars require specialist care which can be hard to find because newer cars aren’t built with older technology or methods.
Some technologies are so outdated that they require specialist support. As well as being hard to find, this can be very expensive. A restored system is built with new technologies, making support and updates more easily accessible.
Want to jazz up your legacy system? PSP-IT has created specific finance, membership and events applications for chartered institutes and membership bodies. Contact us today to find out more.
Leave A Comment