How Do You Balance Innovation With Legacy System Maintenance?

How Do You Balance Innovation With Legacy System Maintenance?

In the fast-paced world of technology, balancing cutting-edge innovation with the reliability of legacy systems is a challenge many leaders face. We've gathered insights from CTOs and CEOs who have navigated this terrain, sharing their experiences from integrating new ideas with existing systems to the strategic dual-run approach for upgrades. Discover the top six strategies that have led to successful harmonization between the old and the new.

• Integrating Innovation with Existing Systems
• Optimizing Workflows for EHR Integration
• Incrementally Modernizing Legacy Software
• Dual-Run Strategy for System Upgrade
• Balancing Cold Outreach with Digital Ads
• Phased Implementation for Smooth Transition

Integrating Innovation with Existing Systems

As the CTO at Forwardly, I’ve found that balancing innovation with legacy systems is essential. For instance, when we launched our real-time payment solution for small businesses in the U.S., we made sure it integrated smoothly with existing ACH systems. Instant payment options are available for hundreds of banks across the U.S., but if a bank hasn’t adopted this technology, transactions are processed as free Same-Day ACH transfers for our customers.

We believe in supporting customers who are focused on modernization, even if not all banks are up to speed. We implemented new features step-by-step while keeping existing systems stable. The key takeaway is that you don’t have to choose between new and old—you can improve and modernize while keeping everything running efficiently and user-friendly.

Optimizing Workflows for EHR Integration

As CEO of a healthcare IT consultancy, balancing innovation and legacy systems is crucial. When Kaiser Permanente implemented Epic's EHR, they faced challenges integrating with their existing legacy systems like scheduling and referral management.

We helped map their current workflows to understand how the new EHR would impact them. Then we collaborated to redesign optimized workflows integrating the EHR, and conducted pilot testing to resolve issues before full rollout. For example, we interfaced their legacy scheduling system and referral system with Epic's registration module.

Continuous testing and incremental implementation ensured the new system could handle the load. Encryption and access controls protected data during the transition. Carefully verifying legacy data migration avoided corruption. Initially, classroom training reduced productivity, so we supplemented it with web modules and on-site expert support. Focusing training on workflow rather than just functionality sped up adaptation.

Addressing clinicians' concerns over usability and workload by engaging them in decision-making and demonstrating benefits gained acceptance. With the right planning and support, organizations can balance innovation and legacy systems for better health delivery.

Incrementally Modernizing Legacy Software

Building new and innovative capabilities in a legacy software platform can be a challenge. In today's environment of cybersecurity issues and constantly evolving software libraries, it is imperative to spend development time reducing technical debt while building new capabilities. Our strategy is to keep libraries up to one release prior to the latest, never falling more than two to three versions behind.

When it comes to debt related to the design or technology used to build a legacy feature, we are opportunistic. When we have to update the legacy code to support a new feature, we will tackle the debt as part of the feature work. This enables us to incrementally modernize the legacy application and deliver customer value in the process. As a CTO, you cannot ignore technical debt, or it will drive down the value of your software. The worst case can be that you end up so deep in debt, a rewrite will cost less than modernizing. Not a message you want to share with your CEO/Board of Directors.

Dual-Run Strategy for System Upgrade

At SmartSense, we once embarked on a project to upgrade our sensor data analytics platform. The existing legacy system was robust but couldn't handle the growing data volumes and complex analytics we needed. We introduced a new data processing pipeline using cloud-native technologies and added a new Business Intelligence (BI) visualization layer, all while keeping the legacy system operational.

We used a dual-run strategy where both systems ran in parallel for a period, ensuring data consistency and reliability. This allowed us to validate the new system's performance against the legacy system before fully switching over.

Takeaways:

1. Parallel Running: Running both systems in parallel ensured that any discrepancies could be addressed without affecting operations.

2. Improved Customer Experience: The new system's capabilities, combined with enhanced BI visualizations, enabled us to offer more accurate and timely insights to our customers, improving their overall experience and satisfaction.

3. Customer-Centric Development: Involving customers in the feedback loop during the transition allowed us to tailor the new system and visualization tools to meet their needs and expectations better, resulting in a more aligned solution with their requirements.

Balancing Cold Outreach with Digital Ads

As co-founder of multiple startups, I'm constantly balancing innovation with optimizing existing systems. Early on at my agency, BuzzShift, we relied on cold calling and email outreach to generate new business. While it worked initially, as we scaled, it became ineffective and time-consuming.

We tested digital advertising and within a month generated five times more qualified leads at one-third the cost. However, we didn't end cold outreach completely. We analyzed which types of clients responded best to each channel and focused our efforts. Cold outreach was targeted only at enterprise clients, while digital ads targeted small- to mid-size businesses.

At Glow Therapy, we launched with a single product but quickly saw demand for additional offerings. However, expanding the product line too quickly could complicate operations and damage the brand. We started with one new product each quarter, measured its performance, and only fully launched products that resonated with customers.

The key is starting with data to determine what's working and what's not. Create a plan to transition efforts to new, innovative strategies while still optimizing parts of legacy systems that remain effective. And be willing to adapt the plan as you analyze performance over time. With the right approach, innovation and legacy strategies can work together.

Phased Implementation for Smooth Transition

By gradually migrating data and training staff on the new system, we ensured a smooth transition. The key takeaway was the importance of phased implementation and ongoing support to maintain operational continuity. This approach allowed us to leverage the benefits of modern technology without disrupting our established processes, ultimately enhancing efficiency and customer relationship management.