From software modernisation to evolvable product

Our six-part series of articles covers all important aspects of software modernisation. This is the fifth article in the series. An overview of the topics is provided at the end of this article.

Because of digital transformation, organisations are being increasingly forced to drive forward the technological innovation and further development of their services and products. Software systems that can keep pace with the rate of change in business are the most important prerequisite for this. While many legacy systems work reliably and form the backbone of the business by controlling production processes, organising logistics or managing sales, they often pose an obstacle to innovation and adaptability.

That’s because outdated software makes it almost impossible to achieve a flexible, efficient IT solution and thus technological excellence. The software that was possibly the most dynamic aspect of a company at the outset can suddenly become a barrier and no longer keep pace with the rate of change in the business.

Software is modern if it is capable of development

The modernisation of legacy systems often begins with the aim of making a system more efficient and easier to maintain. The approach and goals vary depending on whether the aim is replacement, migration, re-engineering or refactoring.

If the modernisation does not involve completely redesigning core functions, it is important to consider how far-reaching the changes should be. Software modernisation can therefore become a balancing act between maintaining functioning core systems and introducing new technologies.

In future, not only should an IT system be kept technically up to date so that it can continue to be used productively and profitably. Rather, software should be made evolvable for the future so that it remains maintainable and can be continuously and efficiently adapted to new requirements.

Technological innovations promote evolvability

New technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence or IoT are impacting the way companies work, enabling them to respond flexibly to changes and unlock new business opportunities. Legacy systems, which were originally developed for specific requirements, face the challenge of keeping pace with these new technologies and business ideas. Modernisation enables software systems to become more flexible, maintainable and modular in order to implement these new technologies and requirements and be ready for future challenges.

So-called evolvable software products are characterised by, among other things, their modularity. What this means is that individual parts of the system can be replaced or extended, without disrupting overall operation. This can be done, for example, by introducing a microservice architecture, which allows large systems to be broken down into smaller, more independent components. Such modular architectures not only offer flexibility and modernisation, but also facilitate integration of new technologies into an existing system.

Migration to the cloud is another possible step towards evolvability. Cloud-native approaches offer greater scalability and the opportunity to experiment with innovative services and technologies. However, complete migration is not always the best solution. Legacy systems can sometimes be gradually converted into hybrid architectures, so that the best of both worlds can be combined: the stability of proven systems and the flexibility of modern technologies.

Working methods and corporate culture also need to evolve

Alongside technological adaptation, companies usually also have to adapt their development processes and organisational structures to survive in this dynamic environment. Agile methods and DevOps practices play a key role here. They enable teams to respond quickly to changes and introduce new features iteratively and incrementally.

Without changes to corporate culture, working methods and employee mindset, a purely technical software modernisation and evolvability will keep coming up against limits and is just one step on the path to an evolvable company. A culture of continuous improvement enables employees to understand, improve and effectively use the new ways of working and technologies.

At the same time, leaders must be willing to question existing structures and create the conditions for dynamic, agile action. It is only when all those involved – from developers to management to end users – pull together that legacy systems and companies can not only be modernised but also enabled to evolve. The ability to seamlessly integrate new technologies and respond quickly to changes on the market is already a decisive competitive advantage today and will remain so in the future.

Further articles on software modernisation in the bbv blog:

• Blog #1: Software modernisation: Everything you need to know?
• Blog #2: Software Modernisation Canvas: Structured for success
• Blog #3: Strategies for successful software modernisation
• Blog #4: The five most important factors for successful software modernisation
• Blog #5: The future of legacy systems: from modernisation to evolvability
• Blog #6: Artificial intelligence in software modernisation