7 min read
Rebuilding Software: Why, When, and How?
Companies rely on software every day to support their processes. But what if that software becomes outdated, no longer fits your organization, or simply becomes too expensive? Rebuilding the software is then a logical step.
Why would you rebuild software?
There are various situations in which companies decide to rebuild their software. This often happens in situations such as:
- Outdated systems that are no longer supported or updated by the vendor.
- Custom software that no longer fully meets your needs because your organization has changed.
- You're paying a high price for software while only using a fraction of its functionality.
- Significant increases in the licensing costs of existing software.
- You're locked into a single vendor, making switching or modifying the software difficult and costly.
Rebuilding software may sound like a drastic operation, but with the right approach it can be carried out quickly, efficiently, and affordably. What's more, investing in building your own software can actually save you money in the future.
When is rebuilding software the best solution?
Many organizations keep holding on to their old systems, often because they've worked well for years. But over time, you often run into the limitations of outdated software. The IT department then often has to ‘patch things up’ to keep these critical systems up and running. As a result, software sometimes becomes more of a burden than a tool. If you're experiencing one or more of these problems, it's a good idea to seriously consider rebuilding software as a solution:
- High maintenance costs: Because legacy systems often no longer meet current technology standards, constant patches and bug fixes are needed to keep them working.
- Difficult integrations: Outdated software often doesn't connect well with modern applications and cloud solutions.
- Lack of flexibility: Simple changes cost a lot of time and money, because old technology often makes this unnecessarily complex.
- Limited scalability: As your company grows, an old system can become a limiting factor.
- Dependence on a small group of experts: Sometimes you depend on a single developer or vendor (single point of failure) who truly understands the software, which poses a risk.
How can you efficiently rebuild software?
Many companies, when they think about developing software, immediately picture a lengthy and costly process. But nowadays there are faster and more flexible ways to build custom software.
Low-code platforms, such as Mendix or Power Apps, are an excellent example of this. With these platforms, you design and create applications visually by dragging and dropping visual components. You can then add logic to your application by giving instructions and building workflows. This means traditional coding is no longer needed. This allows organizations to replace or rebuild their outdated software in a short time.
Benefits of (re)building software with low-code:
- Fast development: By using visual models and reusable components, software can be developed many times faster than with traditional coding.
- Lower costs: The simplicity of low-code reduces the amount of programming work. This means fewer expensive developer hours and lower costs for maintaining the application.
- Flexibility: Software can easily be adjusted and expanded without months-long development trajectories.
- User-friendly interfaces: Future users of the software who don't have IT knowledge can now also actively contribute ideas and input during development, so the software better fits their needs.
- Easy integration: Low-code platforms offer ready-made APIs and connectors, allowing new systems to integrate seamlessly with software already in use.
- Sustainability: Because low-code applications are easier to maintain and upgrade, you avoid facing the same challenge again in a few years.
According to Gartner, the impact of low-code on software development keeps growing strongly. Gartner predicts that by 2029, as many as 80% of companies worldwide will use low-code platforms for business-critical applications, a significant increase compared to 65% in 2024.
Want to know more about the possibilities of low-code?
Case: Atoompool
The Atoompool is part of De Vereende and is a collaboration between insurers focused on insuring nuclear facilities.
For their contract and claims management, De Vereende used the outdated Microsoft Access application ARIS, which no longer met modern requirements. E-mergo completely renewed this application with Power Apps and Power Automate, rebuilding the existing functionality into a future-proof solution. This not only increased efficiency but also ensured a smooth transition, without employees having to give up their familiar way of working.
Rebuilding software: how do you approach it?
Rebuilding software sounds like a major challenge, but with a structured approach it becomes a manageable process. By working step by step, you avoid surprises and ensure the new solution fits the existing way of working.
1. First, take a good look at what already exists
Before you start, it's important to gain insight into the current software. Which applications are used? Where are the limitations? And which features are indispensable? Mapping this out clearly creates a clear starting point. It's also valuable to interview users to get a better picture of their needs and daily challenges. Their input helps determine the most important functionalities and possible improvements.
2. Analysis and drawing up a plan
With these insights, the next step follows: a thorough analysis. What needs to be preserved, what can be improved, and what does a modern version of the software look like? Based on that, a concrete plan is created that can serve as a roadmap.
3. Building in manageable steps
Rebuilding software doesn't happen all at once. By breaking the project into pieces, the process stays manageable and parts can be tested and adjusted along the way. The goal is to preserve the familiar user experience while improving the technology under the hood.
4. Switching over without hassle
The new software is ready, but then the next challenge begins: the switchover. Ideally, this happens step by step, so existing processes can keep running and the transition goes smoothly. Data is carefully migrated and tested at the same time, so everything works correctly right away in the new environment.
5. Keeping your app in top shape
Just like a well-maintained machine, software needs occasional attention to keep running. Important security updates ensure a safe and stable environment, while new or additional functionalities ensure the application keeps meeting new needs. This keeps your software future-proof and easy to maintain.
Alternative: Modernizing software
Replacing an outdated system sometimes seems like the only solution, but that's not always necessary. Instead of completely rebuilding software, you can also choose to modernize it. This can be done, for example, by adding extensions to your existing application or implementing an API layer. With extensions, you expand functionality without modifying the core of the system, while an API layer lets you connect the legacy software to modern applications. This way, you keep the best of your current system while still benefiting from the latest technologies.
Conclusion
Rebuilding or modernizing software is not a simple decision, but it can be the solution to prepare your organization for the future. Outdated systems can slow down processes, increase maintenance costs, and complicate integrations. By rebuilding software with modern tools like Mendix and Power Apps, you retain the necessary functionalities while benefiting from better performance, lower costs, and flexibility.
App in a Day
At E-mergo, we guide organizations step by step through this process. Whether it's about completely replacing a legacy application or smartly modernizing it, we make sure your software once again meets the needs of today and tomorrow.
With our “App in a Day” session, we transform your idea into a working prototype in just a few hours. We start with an inventory of your challenges and needs, so we have a clear picture of what's required. During the session, you'll experience firsthand how low-code works to replace or modernize your software.
After one day, you'll have a worked-out use case, a draft roadmap, and a clickable prototype of your application. That way you know exactly what to expect. Want to brainstorm first? Feel free to get in touch with us!
Written by Shane Phagoe
Low-Code Consultant