When we work with our customers on their Digital Transformation projects, we always identify critical Legacy Systems that form the backbone of their operations. Yet these systems are often cited as holding organisations back from leveraging new digital technologies and creating new customer experiences. Why? Legacy systems are just that; they were developed before the adoption of newer technologies flooding today’s business landscape, including cloud, big data, IoT and mobile.
In an era of disruption, no organisation can afford to be hamstrung by their own systems. However simply getting rid of them and starting again is not a valid option in many cases. This means organisations need to find a way to extend the life of their legacy systems, without slowing down digital transformation initiatives.
By having a clear vision of what you are trying to achieve, understanding the customer journey and obtaining a view of all existing systems & data used we can then work with you to develop a technology blueprint that enables the ability to better adapt to technology and customer shifts in both the near and distant future.
Key to creating this agile architecture are APIs. Organisations that embrace API-led connectivity can expose data from legacy systems in a way that protects the integrity of the system, enables secure and governed access, and accelerates developer productivity. Additionally, with this approach, new systems and applications can be easily plugged into the organisation’s growing application network, made up of the applications, data and devices pertinent to the business that are connected via APIs.
With an API strategy underpinning legacy modernisation, organisations should no longer feel boxed in by their legacy systems. Instead, organisations can modernise, extend and ‘API-ify’ their systems to become more nimble and responsive to emerging technologies, customer needs and other market changes. With the ability to innovate faster, whether building a mobile app or improving the partner experience, the disrupted can become the disruptors.