How to Convince Your Boss You Need Application Modernization

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Jun 28, 2019

Technology has taken the corporate world in a wave – every organization, whether small or large uses some software for its operations. However, new versions of these software are invented every other time.

This implies that organizations should keep their applications up-to-date at all times. There is no denying the fact that legacy applications and software in an organization require persistence and upgrades – it is hard fact that businesses in different parts of the world cannot ignore. With that as a given, most organizations face the challenge of arriving at a consensus regarding application modernization.

The failure to achieve such consensus is detrimental to any organization, as it pushes the business to dangerous extremes as far as IT is concerned. The fact that your organization is using certain applications implies that there are given activities that you cannot do without these apps. This does not entirely mean that software dependency is bad, but it calls for the monetization of any applications that you cannot afford to do without. As such, a failure to modernize your applications can contribute greatly to the loose of your competitive edge in the end. 

IT Modernization Definition

Technology changes almost every day and so does the need for organizations to update their business strategies accordingly to keep up with the ever-shifting technology and business strategies. Application or system modernization, therefore, refers to the continued upgrade of the existing technological infrastructure such as software and applications to align with the dynamic world of technology. 

Organizations ought to be on the lookout for new software and applications, or for the upgrade of versions of existing software infrastructure for competitive purposes, as well as remaining relevant in their operations. However, the challenge comes in when the top management does not understand, or see the need for migrating to a new technology. 

Tips For Convincing Your Boss To Agree To An Application Modernization

Convincing the authority in your workplace of the need for a software upgrade can be a daunting task. How then do you go about convincing your boss you need application re-platforming? Here are a few tips you can consider. 

  • Provide facts

Perhaps, you have heard that facts do not lie; you only need a few statistics and facts to drive your point home. The dependency of organizations on applications can have adverse impacts. For example, the use of mainframe applications can have a significant negative impact on the application programming interfaces hence, making it challenging for you to use data from such applications. 

Second, the decision to abandon the use of certain apps is out of the question since, it is costly, time-consuming, and a risk in terms of data loss which, most probably, is vital to the success of the organization. 

In addition, failing to modernize can lock you into using age-old systems hence, a million inefficiencies and a lack of competitiveness in your industry.

While the above facts may appear to be making the dependency on application dire, system modernization can give you all the solutions to these issues such that your organization remains in a manageable position – which is all that every employer wants.

  • Focus on the investment side of view, not the expenses

The top management in any organization focuses on reducing the cost of operation in their organization. In most cases, the approach you use to ask for an application modernization influences the decision of your boss. Therefore, show the management how the organization will benefit, whether in terms of time, money, or other resources, by adopting the proposed modernization. Therefore, you should let your boss know that you are not proposing a reinvention but the reuse of applications. 

  • Show the impact of the proposed IT modernization

The use of any application in an organization has some significant impact, whether negative or positive. Similarly, its modernization is expected to impact the operations of the organization, in some way. To get to a consensus for application modernization, you need to have your facts and argument right – why is the change needed? Can the organization run effectively, and at a reduced cost with the modernized apps? These are some of the questions to help you in your bargain. The bottom line is that your boss looks at how accepting a system modernization can benefit the organization. 

  • Find support for application modernization from end users

The B2C2B model of marketing relies on support from the end user (C) to gain the trust of enterprises and businesses (B), for them to subscribe to a premium product or service. The implication is that if a given business is to adopt system modernization, it should have a significant impact on the end users. In this case, finding support for the need for system modernization from other employees, and perhaps your customers, and asking them to rally behind your idea can make it easy for the boss to accept your proposal. However, for such an approach to work, the end users must see the benefit of modernizing the application for them to embrace your idea.

Keeping a company’s software up-to-date is a very important thing in this digital era. With technology changing now and then, organizations ought to be alert for upgrades and modernization. While certain applications and software make work easier in an organization, their dependency can have adverse impacts on the operations of any organization. The implication is that organizations should be careful with the applications and systems they use. For this reason, provide the facts on the need for application upgrade, show the benefits in terms of investment as opposed to the cost implications, and explain how the failure to modernize can affect the organization’s operations in the end. In addition, seeking support from employees in the organization, as well as other parties who can be affected by the change, can go a long way to making it easy for you to convince your boss for a software upgrade. However, it is advisable to engage the right software outsourcing company to guide you with information on the system and IT modernization.

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