Guide to modernizing federal legacy systems

For decades, federal government agencies have relied on the consistent results that core legacy systems have delivered.

Today, that’s no longer the case. The antiquated systems are inefficient and costly to maintain, and aren’t able to support the capabilities required for success in the foreseeable future.

Technical debt — the cost of maintaining and updating outdated systems — has long been an issue in federal government. Agencies typically report spending about 80% of their IT budgets on operating and maintaining existing systems, according to the Government Accountability Office. The office’s analysis identified 10 critical federal IT legacy systems, which ranged in age from 8 to 51 years old and collectively cost about $337 million annually to operate and maintain.

If this is an issue for your agency, it’s time to consider modernizing your technology stack — for the sake of your citizens and your staff. Modernization can bring huge returns — from resource optimization and higher scalability to quicker response times and more efficient services.

Before making upgrades, though, federal agencies need to assess their current systems to truly understand what technology solutions will resolve legacy issues and where they can make the most impact.

Legacy assessment checklist

There are a number of factors that should be considered when undertaking a system assessment — the age of the hardware/software, does it meet today’s security requirements, its interoperability with other systems, whether it supports changes in business processes, the frequency of failures and crashes, and, generally, its overall performance.

Here is a checklist of questions that can help federal agencies gain a complete and fundamental understanding of existing systems:

• Is your existing system able to accept and process multiple data formats from various types of applications and third-party systems?

• Does your system have security vulnerabilities that can expose your agency?

• Can you connect your current system with new applications without having to deal with disparate systems?

• Do you have a complete view of information and real-time access to that information whenever you need it?

• How successful is your agency at managing case files from start to finish? Are you able to track and improve your time-to-resolution?

• How quickly and accurately does your system process the increased volumes of data that your agency receives?

• How much investment or expense is tied to the maintenance and support of your existing legacy systems?

Your answers should provide a clear perspective of whether modernizing your legacy system is a necessity for your agency.

Four modern tech fixes for legacy issues

Technology solutions can revolutionize efficiency, accessibility and effectiveness for all users. That’s why federal agencies should leverage every advantage that these solutions have to offer.

Intelligent content capture

Agencies can utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to ingest incoming information, no matter its source, and make it accessible and usable.

Case management

Leverage tools like rapid application development (RAD) to tailor solutions to your needs with configurable point-and-click capabilities. You can also develop solutions that scale and shift with evolving business and citizen needs on one platform — and extend it across agencies for agility and effectiveness.

Process automation

Gain complete visibility into your processes from start to finish with workflow automation. Intelligent automation improves processes by connecting information across core agency systems and workflows, freeing up staff to focus on more strategic work.

Cloud and shared services

Migrating to a modern cloud-based platform with a shared services model can help agencies centralize siloed IT solutions on a single platform that provides secure content storage and collaboration while ensuring ownership and control. Plus, being hosted in the cloud means information is accessible from anywhere with real-time data, improving efficiency and transparency.

Hyland’s intelligent content solutions empower federal governments by making content more user-friendly, connected and compatible with modern-day business. Our platform provides solutions designed to work for government, and our industry experts can help you leverage best practices to get started on the right foot.

Whether you’re at the beginning of your modernization journey or in the process of evolving your efforts, we’re here to help.