AA245 - Legacy Code: Why Big Rewrites Fail (And What Actually Works)

Episode notes

Legacy systems work. So why do companies waste millions rewriting them? In this episode of Arguing Agile, Product Manager Nisha Patel joins Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Consultant Om Patel for a debate on the dangerous obsession with rewriting legacy systems - from COBOL to green screens - that still power ATMs, government systems, and Fortune 500 billing engines. Watch or listen as we discuss the myth that "modern" equals "better" and reveal how most rewrites fail because they ignore customer value, edge cases, and real ROI as well as other topics, such as: How Chesterton’s Fence applies to code (Brian still doesn't know) How Developers kill software with Resume-Driven Development (RDD) How Finance kills software with spreadsheet-driven development (SDD) Why chasing "parity" kills innovation Risk Mitigation, or, framing technical debt in business terms If you've ever worked on or tried to replace legacy systems, this episode will either give you nightmares, or help how you approach legacy systems while helping you also stop burning budget on vanity projects.

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