I distill this down to two general approaches to innovating; evolution (improve) and revolution (replace). When budget and schedule allow for it, I opt for the revolution approach to modernize as much of the full process or system as possible. This is more difficult and adds more risk, but offers much more business reward potential by focusing on the improvement of the entire process. The other approach is the evolution of processes or systems. Pick a specific part of the process or technology, perhaps the worst performing part, and focus research and solution design on improving that one part of the process while keeping in mind how that might impact the overall process and future design.

Assess and Document: Thoroughly understand the legacy systems and how they function. Document their processes, dependencies, and limitations. Incremental Changes: Implement changes gradually rather than all at once. Small, incremental improvements minimize disruption and allow for easier troubleshooting.

⚙️ Innovating with Legacy Systems: The Best of Both Worlds! ⚙️ Navigating legacy systems can feel like walking a tightrope—how do you introduce innovation without causing disruption? 🎯 The key is modernization without the headaches! 💡 Here’s how to make it work: 1️⃣ Phased Integration: Start small. Implement new tools or technologies in phases to ensure stability while keeping the legacy systems running smoothly. 🚧 2️⃣ Testing and Backups: Always have fallback options. Thoroughly test the integration, and ensure you have backups to prevent any operational hiccups. 🛡️ 3️⃣ Team Alignment: Keep everyone in the loop! Open communication ensures all teams are aligned and ready to tackle any challenges head-on. 🗣️

I choose the revolution approach to modernise as much of the entire process or system as possible, when budget and schedule permit. Because it is more complex and involves more risk, this has a much higher potential for business reward because it concentrates on process improvement as a whole. The evolution of systems or processes is the alternative strategy. Select a single process or technology component—possibly the least effective component—and concentrate research and solution design efforts on enhancing it, taking into account potential effects on the process as a whole and future designs.

Isole ao máximo o que é de fato legado. Existem sempre coisas menos sensíveis que podem ser o objeto de inovação. Uma interface mais moderna que interaja de forma consistente com a interface legada ou a mudança de uma parte específica do processo que o sistema atue já geram resultados significativos.