The Revolution in Software Upgrades: Replace Your Outdated Front End

Managers are confronted with questions such as:

• "Does our IT landscape support innovation for the company?"
• "Are we meeting contemporary business requirements?"
• "Are we as efficient as we can be?"
• "Are we making the right, sustainable IT decisions?"

When we consider the changes that digital evolution has brought about in the last ten years, especially in our mobile phones, we can easily imagine the potential of modernizing a 10-year-old IT infrastructure.

This is where the UFirst Group comes in to bring your existing software and IT landscape up to date without having to completely replace it.

Challenges in modernization

We distinguish between challenges for the development teams and challenges for the expansion of services in your business. An overlap of challenges is natural, we have refrained from listing them twice.

Challenges for further development

• Merging naturally occurring data silos
• Poor data quality
• Outdated front ends with poor usability
• Slow backend systems
• Delays in further development due to regressions

Challenges for the further development and provision of services

• Existing range of functions cannot be expanded
• Further development of business models cannot be mapped
• Blocked development teams in day-to-day business

The solution is usually an update, a replacement of existing components or a complete new build. Replacing software that is used on a daily basis and affects the productivity of an entire company is associated with considerable risks.

Risks of software modernization

• Partial or complete loss of productivity
• Tying up human resources
• Tying up financial resources
• Lack of project organization and planning know-how
• Lack of technical know-how
• Too many options to choose from, thus delaying the start of the project
• Too meny requests from various departments increase the size of the project and delay the start of the project
• Project duration too long
• No certain outcome

This list is not exhaustive.

In conclusion, the following path is usually taken: The replacement of individual system elements is planned, Which are then to take over the functions of many peripheral systems. The selection process becomes correspondingly complicated and the projects to be implemented correspondingly complex and lengthy.

This approach does not eliminate the risks mentioned above. Instead, it only offers various reasons not to start projects or, even worse, not to go live after the start. It is therefore important to minimize risks. How can we achieve this?

The alternative approach: Replace your frontend

In our whitepaper (written in German) "Using modern software front-ends to improve legacy software", we show an alternative way of replacing software.

Instead of a radical changeover, our approach focuses on modernizing the frontend and extending existing functions. This offers clear advantages:  

• Existing software remains in operation
• Projects become manageable and therefore plannable
• Success is achieved more quickly

Is this approach suitable for all software projects? What are the prerequisites for this method to be successful?

We rely on modern architecture approaches such as microservices-based, API-first, cloud-native und headless (MACH). The project organization is agile and so is the contractual framework. There should therefore be a willingness to implement software projects according to the latest standards.

Working together for success

The common focus is clear: creating added value for users. Every modernized function that we introduce offers advantages. UFirst stands for "User First", and our aim is to remain true to this motto.

Keeping an eye on the risks

Proprietary software

es, you will receive unique software that is perfectly tailored to your business. However, we do not rely on proprietary frameworks, but on widely used frameworks and ready-made components that can be customized to your needs. This saves us time so we can customize the parts of the software that differentiate you from your competitors.

Commitment to a provider

Every software provider has to get to know your business processes and then has a head start on a potential new competitor. This is in the nature of things. By relying on standard frameworks, software knowledge is likely to be more widespread than if you rely on a vendor that uses very specific software for you.

Internal marketing

It is always easier to select a tool that is supposedly already used very often. It takes a good technical understanding to understand the advantages and sell them to the management. Especially because the costs cannot be precisely determined in advance.

Modernizing your IT landscape doesn't have to be a daunting task. With UFirst, you can replace your outdated front end and improve your software while minimizing risk. 
Get in touch with us to learn more about how we can take your business to the next level of software modernization.