Is it time for a software overhaul?

It could start with something simple, like a relatively minor problem within a single department. For example, a company needed a way to resolve a purchasing issue after losing several customer orders. In the process of resolving the issue, the IT team realized that the software used by the department needed to be updated to keep up with changing customer demands. But doing so would break other software it was connected to.

Therefore, the other software would also need to be updated. In the process of researching alternatives, the IT team realized that there was a new software system that could solve the original problem and perform the functions of many of the company's other software systems. After weighing all relevant considerations, the team decided that the new software was suitable for company-wide deployment.

What started as a simple problem blossomed into a company-wide software overhaul. The need for such a transition does not always become apparent in this way. Team members in any department within a company may notice other conditions that point to this possibility. These include efficiency issues, production issues, integration issues or lack of support for legacy systems.

Of course, the company could proactively decide to implement a digital acceleration initiative. These are all starting points for a general software review process.

1 What is a software review?

A software overhaul replaces or updates most of the software used in a company. The reason could be that the software is no longer meeting the company's needs or that the company is involved in a digital acceleration initiative. A software overhaul may be necessary if a company changes its operating procedures or simply wants to update its software to provide modern functionality to employees while improving overall productivity.

2 efficiency issues

There are many possible reasons for efficiency issues, such as outdated processes. Even in the modern computing era, some companies still have paper-based procedures that can slow down operations. This situation is especially obvious in companies that have some paper processes and some electronic processes. Electronic processes themselves can also be inefficient, but they remain based on the notion that “this is how we have always done it”.

Yet another reason could be ineffective software. When software is simply slow, doesn't have the necessary features to perform necessary tasks, or doesn't meet users' needs, it can increase lead times for all types of operations within a company. For example, if employees need time to create and use workarounds to improve the performance of ineffective software, progress can be slowed considerably.

3 production problems

For companies that produce physical products, production can come to a standstill for any number of reasons. The equipment may break. Supply chains can be disrupted, limiting the number of materials available for use in the manufacturing process. Production schedules can be very demanding. Natural disasters or illness may prevent several employees from leaving at the same time.

Some of these challenges may have a software component. For example, broken equipment can be caused by software that does not adequately monitor the condition of the equipment and does not plan for necessary updates that can prevent failures. Or project management software that does not take into account certain variables that will add more time to the production process.

4 integration questions

When new software doesn't integrate well with existing systems, it may need to be replaced before it can even be put into use. Of course, it is always advisable to ensure before purchasing a software product that it will integrate well with existing systems. But what if the existing system is changed before the new software is installed? Or what if a software manufacturer offers misleading or misleading information about which systems their product is compatible with?

Integration issues are not just a problem due to the need to look for a different solution. They can also cause problems in existing systems that can require considerable time and money to fix.

5 Lack of support for legacy systems

Sometimes software simply becomes out of date. This happens when software manufacturers stop supporting older systems. When this happens, companies must make a choice: continue to use software that presents a security risk, update the software, or stop using it completely. The first option is not viable, given the monumental problems that security breaches can cause.

In the case of the second option, the company simply follows the software manufacturer's standard update procedure.

6 Digital Acceleration

Having the right technology tools has become so important in the modern business world that many companies don't wait for something to go wrong before initiating a software review. Instead, they are proactively implementing digital acceleration, which often involves quickly updating or replacing many, if not all, of the company's software systems. There are many benefits to initiating this type of change:

• The software adapts to workers, not the other way around. Increasingly, new employees, especially younger ones, expect a high level of digital competence within a company and look for companies that have it.
• Despite the considerable cost of implementing a digital acceleration, companies end up saving money because they can avoid inevitable upgrade costs, reduce IT staff and even eliminate human positions for some functions that the new technology can perform.
• Because many new software products focus on remote team functioning, companies can have a larger pool of potential employees because they don't need to be physically close together. Additionally, companies can open new locations and employees can continue working in the same locations.
• Companies can take advantage of times when business may be slower to implement these changes.
• Companies that undertake digital acceleration are in a position to be more viable in a highly competitive market.

No matter how it starts, a software review is a huge task that companies must spend considerable time preparing for.