Legacy system reengineering: Essential process steps

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the reengineering of legacy systems. Based upon a review of the literature, five legacy system characteristics are defined and four goals for a reengineering project are developed. The decision to reengineer a legacy system is generally based upon a desire to: re-align the information system(s) with the organization's business processes; improve technology; and reduce maintenance costs. While each of the factors is a desirable objective, individually they are not sufficient to initiate and maintain a reengineering project overtime. To be successful, a reengineering project must satisfy four reengineering goals: (1) a fully, accurately documented system; (2) a flexible implementation, able to incorporate new or changing requirements; (3) alignment with the organization's business objectives and processes; and (4) a cost-effective maintenance program. This paper proposes that there are a number of essentials steps that must be completed in order to conduct a successful reengineering project.