GISCafe Guest Sanjay Gangal
Sanjay Gangal is the President of IBSystems, the parent company of AECCafe.com, MCADCafe, EDACafe.Com, GISCafe.Com, and ShareCG.Com. How to Know When It’s Time to Let Legacy Technology GoDecember 13th, 2022 by Sanjay Gangal
If any of these 10 indicators ring true for your AEC firm, it could be time to modernize Legacy technology reminds me a lot of the aging but still reliable car that has faithfully carried me and my family around for the better part of two decades. Much like legacy software, that car reliably gets us from Point A to Point B — usually, at least — it has features that were ahead of their time when they were first released, many of which still work, and although it’s way out of warranty and has its obvious limitations, it does the things it was built to do. Nothing more, nothing less. Because it still runs well enough, it’s familiar, has that vintage feel, and carries some sentimental value, an item like this, whether it’s a car or a software product, can be difficult to say goodbye to. Yet in the case of my trusty old car, I can’t help but wonder what I’ve been missing and what I stand to gain by replacing it with something more modern — the elevated features, capabilities and amenities others are enjoying while I loyally stick with the status quo.
Many architecture, engineering and construction firms face a similar predicament with the legacy accounting, financial, ERP (enterprise resource planning), CRM (customer relationship management) or project management systems on which they continue to rely to run their business. They recognize the signs suggesting it’s time to upgrade to a more modern system. They’re aware their continued dependence on legacy software could be putting them at a competitive disadvantage. But change isn’t always easy. In the vast majority of cases, however, based on my first-hand experience supporting numerous AEC firms in their digital transformation efforts, the benefits a firm realizes by moving away from legacy software, to a more modern solution, far outweigh the challenges that in some instances accompany the transition. Is your firm a good candidate to make such a move? Before we seek to answer that question, let’s first consider the nature of legacy technology. A definition from the tech company Talend seems to capture it pretty well: “A legacy system is outdated computing software and/or hardware that is still in use. The system still meets the needs it was originally designed for, but doesn’t allow for growth. What a legacy system does now for the company is all it will ever do. A legacy system’s older technology won’t allow it to interact with newer systems.” The definition is useful because it hints at some of the issues that, when present within an AEC firm, suggest it’s time to get serious about shifting away from a legacy system:
If any of these issues sound familiar, you might be running a legacy system. And sticking with a system that is causing these issues could be doing the firm, its employees and its clients a disservice, in terms of the bottom line, the project outcomes it delivers, and the work that goes into delivering them. So, what now? For many AEC firms, the ability to win more deals, deliver better project outcomes, grow the bottom line, and profitably scale could well depend on a willingness to part with their outdated legacy software. As findings from our just-released benchmarking study, the 2022-2023 AEC Inspire Report (available for free download here) make clear, tech-forward, data-savvy firms hold a distinct advantage over their tech-static counterparts in key areas like profitability, attracting and retaining talent, and project win rate. It may indeed be time to find out what you’ve been missing, and what it’s like to do business with a modern system. How to find one that fits your firm in terms of budget, priorities, needs and wish list? Here are a few basic rules of thumb to guide the search:
As competitive as the AEC business is, and as much pressure as firms are facing to capture new efficiencies and the right project work, settling for outdated technology that’s merely “good enough” is no longer good enough. Don’t let your business legacy be held back by legacy software. About the Author Lucas Hayden is Director of AEC Strategy for Unanet, a leading provider of project-based ERP and CRM solutions purpose-built for Government Contractors, architecture, engineering, construction, and professional services. Email him at lucas.hayden@unanet.com. Category: Education |