When your portfolio of applications starts to approach 20 years they start to look old and tired. Questions get asked. A change is often called for. There is a need to modernize. But the cost is inevitably high because of the number of applications involved. When an application-by-application solution cannot be found it is time to look for an alternative approach. Asymmetric modernization provides a way to modernize entire portfolios of IBM Notes (Lotus Notes) applications for a much lower cost and with significantly less risk.

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Asymmetric Modernization

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Promise Discovery &
Assessment
Portfolio Strategy
Project Plan
Execute Application
Strategy
Application Testing
& Deployment
Value
Traditional approach to modernization

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The Costs
• Project Costs
– Discovery & Assessment
– Development of a portfolio strategy
– Project planning
• For Each Application:-
– Business Analysis (re-learning what
each application does)
– Documentation (if not in compliance
with current requirements)
– Data Migration (platform migration
only)
– Development (average 200 hours per
application)
– QA/UAT
– Change Control & Deployment
– Training/lost productivity

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The Numbers
• Most organizations are
surprised to learn how
many Notes
applications they have.
• An organization with
10,000+ Notes
applications is not as
uncommon as you
might think

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Total Modernization Cost
A large number (cost per app)
multiplied by
a large number (no. of apps)
results in
a VERY large number

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The Risks
• Application
Enhancement/Migration
– Interruption to business
processes
– Impact of bugs introduced
into application
– Going over budget, over
time, or both
– Not delivering all the needed
functionality
• Data Migration
– Data conversion errors
– All at once with no going back

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A new approach is needed
Applications
Capabilities

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Asymmetric
Adjective:
contrary to conventional rules or accepted order;

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Asymmetric Modernization
• Little or no changes to existing
applications
• Combine code and data
forensics to build a base level
of understanding
• Deliver core capabilities and
make these available to all
applications
• Focus efforts on high impact
customization
• Integrate feedback loops to
identify the next areas of
opportunity for making an
impact.

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Extend over Replace
• Existing applications work
as they did before
– Less risk
– Less training
– Less loss of productivity
• Eliminates expensive
– Coding
– Deployment
– Training
– Project Planning
– Compliance costs
Extend
Replace

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Combine Code and Data Forensics
• Code only shows what
the application was
designed to do
• Data provides insights
into what the application
is actually doing
• Over the years business
logic accumulates. 80% of
existing code may not be
needed in the future. But
which 80%?
Code
Forensics
Data
Forensics

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For traditional modernization of a
Notes platform…
$20K - $30K
€26K - €39K
20% of applications generate a positive ROI

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For traditional modernization of a
typical Notes application…
20% of functionality generate a positive ROI
But we cannot be sure which 20%.

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Asymmetric Modernization…
• Allows ALL Notes applications to
be modernized for little or no
additional cost
• Focuses on functionality that
delivers the greatest impact
– Core capabilities delivered to all
applications
– Customization focused on high
impact opportunities
• Minimizes unlocked potential in
modernization of ALL applications
• Modernize only those features
still needed
– Lower cost
– Lower risk (to other features)

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Integrated Feedback
• Modern contexts can change the way
applications are used. What was
needed in the past may no longer be
relevant in the future.
• The users of your applications can
identify their pain points and provide
guidance as to the importance of
their needs.
• If the original applications exist in
their established form the pressure
to deliver capabilities in a modern
context are reduced.
• The ability to participate in the
process will often bond users to the
applications as they evolve. It
becomes less of an IT system and
more of their system.

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The Bottom Line
An asymmetric approach
to modernization can
deliver:-
• More applications;
• Faster;
• At a lower cost;
• With less risk