‘Changing tires on a moving car’: A look at software modernisation
Summary
Changes to legacy tech can be tedious and error-prone, while systems can have strong dependencies on outdated frameworks, which Chircu said can result in a huge upfront investment. Other issues that can occur include progress tracking and knowledge gaps (for instance, if the original developers of the system no longer work at the company). “On top of this, many times the business can’t stop adding new features to the legacy system, making the software modernisation process resemble the daunting task of changing tires on a moving car,” said Chircu. “It is important to show progress early and build momentum through quick wins.” In Chircu’s role, he mostly deals with the first step: understanding the current state of the system through software assessments. He said that this first step is vital as it “sets the tone for the entire modernisation effort” and helps define an achievable target, a realistic roadmap and cost estimations.