18.3 Manage Complexity

Complexity is always a and often the limiter in the modernization process. System architects and software engineers strive to control many variables , such as cost and schedule. At the same time, there is a tendency to let complexity expand unchecked. This may have something to do with our egos. After all, why make something simple when it can be complex and wonderful?

Unfortunately, complexity in a modernization effort is compounded by many factors: the size of the legacy system being modernized, the scale of the modernization effort, the number of people involved, the familiarity of the development team with both the legacy system and the modern technologies, and so forth. Therefore, complexity in a modernization effort should be constrained to the challenge of developing a migration plan that can be executed by a large team of individuals with disparate skills, on time, and on schedule.