NEWS GOODBYE TO OLD TECH


RESISTANCE TO CHANGE CAN STOP COMPANIES UPGRADING THEIR SYSTEMS. HERE, HOLIDAY EXTRAS’ SIMON WOOD EXPLAINS HOW FIRMS CAN OVERCOME THEIR FEAR OF LEAVING LEGACY BEHIND


HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE LEGACY TECHNOLOGY?


Legacy systems come in many shapes and sizes. Sometimes we badge our systems and technology as legacy without having a proper grasp over why. I can think of three key reasons why


I would badge something as legacy: 1. It is expensive to run, or costs are


growing out of control, or it is becoming a challenge to host;


2. There can be a risk associated with your choice of technology, meaning LW PLJKW EH KDUG WR QG HQJLQHHUV WR work on it, or there’s a lack of support from the vendor, or you no longer receive patches for security vulnerabilities;


3. Lastly, it may be legacy if it is restricting opportunities to innovate. The travel industry is tough at the


moment, as we have seen in the news, but if organisations cannot move fast and deliver customer value quickly, ZKLFK UHTXLUHV PRGHUQ H[LEOH technology solutions, then they will struggle to meet customers’ needs.


HOW CAN TRAVEL FIRMS BEGIN TO MOVE AWAY FROM LEGACY SYSTEMS?


The best way to move away from legacy is to do it in small small stages. I am personally not a fan of big


projects or system deployments and instead prefer to deploy small solutions that, over time, iterate towards the end goal.


simultaneously as the existing solution. You can use the response from the


existing system to respond to the customer, but can also compare the results of the new system with the existing system to see if it produced the same response. If there are differences, you can tweak and improve the new V\VWHP XQWLO \RX DUH FRQGHQW LW ZLOO produce the same or better response. Throughout this process you will


SIMON WOOD


also have been testing production loads against this system so you have FRQGHQFH WKDW LW FDQ KDQGOH \RXU product volumes before switching to it. Without this technique it would


This way you realise value earlier,


through a series of ‘quick wins’, and can better assess what work is remaining. There is also less risk if you move a


small function of the business away from a legacy system and to new technology, compared to betting your whole business on a large technology deployment and hoping that it works UVW WLPH ZLWKRXW LVVXHV Ȃ LW UDUHO\ GRHV


WHAT CAN YOU SHARE FROM YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES AT HOLIDAY EXTRAS?


In the past, we have used a technique RIWHQ FDOOHG WUDIF VKDGRZLQJ This is where you build a new


solution and then plumb it into your architecture so that you send SURGXFWLRQ WUDIF WR WKH QHZ VROXWLRQ


have been harder for Holiday Extras to make some of the rapid system changes it has now made.


WHAT WOULD BE YOUR THREE TIPS FOR COMPANIES LOOKING TO ADDRESS THEIR LEGACY ISSUES?


First, identify what legacy solutions you have and rate the risk and cost of these systems to help you focus on ZKHUH WR VWDUW UVW Second, move to alternative


VROXWLRQV LQ VPDOO LQFUHPHQWV Ȃ QRW ELJ projects that last months at a time. Finally, measure everything. Data


is key. Set up dashboards and logs that allow you to see how your new services and systems are performing


compared to the systems they replace. O Simon Wood is associate director of technology at Holiday Extras


TRAVOLUTION.CO.UK — FEBRUARY 2020 — 9


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