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Application Modernization Roadmap: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creation

Application Modernization Roadmap: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creation

App Modernization

January 28, 20254 min read

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An application modernization roadmap is a detailed plan that outlines how and when to execute your modernization strategy. It connects your vision with execution and describes every phase of the process.

The best way to start your roadmap is to describe each stage and answer the series of questions.

This article will help you with this task through usable steps and a methodical approach. By following our instructions, you will build the roadmap that sets a strong foundation for future scalability and success.

📝Note: Before building your roadmap, create an application modernization strategy, as they are tightly connected.

Let's see the steps you need to plan:

Step 1: Features and Priorities

The first step in creating an application modernization roadmap is to approve the features or modules you will modernize. At this stage, you need to understand the value each update will bring in the short and long term.

First, focus on features that can deliver measurable results fast. Ask yourself:

  1. If we modernize this feature in a few weeks, what impact will it have in a few months?
  2. What quick wins can we achieve without significant structural changes?
  3. Will this feature improve the user experience or address a major pain point?

After answering these questions, you need to list and rate all features on a scale of 1 to 10, where:

  • 1 = A feature that can wait.
  • 10 = A feature requiring immediate modernization.

When you see all rated features in front of your eyes, you will understand the whole picture of your modernization journey and can move forward to realization.

Step 2: Roles and Responsibilities

At this stage, you must know who your modernization team is and assign responsibilities for each project element. Developers' workflow should be streamlined, and all delays or miscommunication should be avoided.

What you need to identify:

  1. Who are the key members of the modernization team?
  2. Who will handle backend updates, frontend redesigns, and data migrations?
  3. Who will lead the overall project and ensure everything stays on track?
  4. Who will coordinate communication between teams and stakeholders?
  5. What tools (e.g., project management software) will you use to check team communication and progress?
  6. Who will check the quality of modernized features before release
  7. Who will oversee the process, track progress, and ensure deadlines are met?

As a result, everyone understands their responsibilities and can concentrate on their specific tasks, which minimizes confusion and overlap. This step is very important because the success of every process depends on the people behind it. Remember, the key is to build a team of experts who can listen to each other.

Step 3: Time and Budget

This stage is absolutely hard to prepare, as it is impossible to predict any force majeure and unforeseen expenses. But you don't need to plan a budget for each development or testing team. Instead, focus on allocating time and budget for specific modules.

Let's say one feature requires two months of development and one month of testing. Focus on these deliverables and tie the budget directly to that outcome rather than allocating resources to the teams themselves.

Here are the tips and questions that will help you create an application modernization roadmap for time and budget:

Time:

#1. Tip: Estimate the time based on the number of people working on a specific feature. The more people involved, the faster development can go. But make sure that the team's skillset matches the complexity of the feature.

Question: How many people do we need for each feature, and what is their level of expertise?

#2. Tip: If you have tight deadlines, prioritize features that need to be launched fast. This will impact the timeline and can lead to allocating more resources or speeding up the development process.

Question: Is there a critical release date we must meet for some features? If so, how much time can we spend on it?

#3. Tip: Some features depend on others. If a feature needs to wait for another, account for that in the timeline. Create a chart or another type of timeline to track this.

Question: Are there any dependencies that can delay the feature's development progress? If so, what can we do to mitigate that?

#4. Tip: Always think about what can go wrong or unexpected delays. This will help you stay on track even when things don't go as planned.

Question: What's the buffer time for unexpected roadblocks or delays?

Once you have that information, draw a line with release dates for each feature. This timeline should be flexible and clearly show when each feature should be developed and released over the year.

Budget:

When you do not have hard budget limits, focus on creating the best possible application. You can invest in premium tools, top-tier talent, and advanced technologies to future-proof your application. Prioritize long-term goals and build for future growth rather than just immediate needs.

Questions to Answer:

  1. What's the ideal vision for the application?
  2. What tools, technologies, or services will support that vision regardless of cost?
  3. Are we using the best talent available, even if it's more expensive?
  4. What features or integrations can we add to make the application stand out?
  5. How will the investment benefit the business in the long run?
  6. Should we invest in more robust APIs or advanced analytics platforms for better performance and insights?
  7. Can we expand market reach by adding multi-language support, global compliance, or international payment systems?

When you have a limited budget, you need careful planning and prioritization. Focus on achieving the most value from available resources and meeting business goals.

Questions to Answer:

  1. What is the total budget available for the project?
  2. Which features are must-haves for the first release?
  3. How do we allocate funds for development, testing, and maintenance?
  4. Can we outsource any processes or tasks to save costs?
  5. What tools or frameworks can we use without compromising quality for less cost?
  6. How do we handle unforeseen expenses or delays within the budget?
  7. What trade-offs can we make to stay within budget without sacrificing core functionality?

Feel free to balance both approaches to optimize your budget for each project or feature. Of course, your budget will either limit you or give you complete freedom. Just save money where you can, and do not hesitate to invest in good developers and high-quality technical components.

Step 4: Release plan and implementation

The final step in your roadmap is planning how and when to release the modernized features. This phase focuses on defining the release strategy, preparing testing and deployment plans, and ensuring ongoing support after launch.

Questions to Answer:

1. Release Strategy:

  • Should we deploy all updates at once (big bang) or use a phased rollout?
  • How will we communicate the release plan to stakeholders and users?

2. Testing:

  • What types of testing (e.g., unit, integration, or user acceptance testing) are required?
  • Do we have a dedicated testing environment to ensure stability before deployment?
  • How will we gather feedback from beta users or internal teams?

3. Deployment:

  • What steps are required to deploy each feature or module?
  • How can we minimize downtime or disruption during deployment?
  • Do we have a rollback plan ready in case of unexpected issues?

4. Post-Launch Support:

  • How will we monitor system performance after the release?
  • What resources are allocated for fixing bugs or optimizing features?
  • How will we gather and respond to user feedback post-launch?
📝Pro Tip: Successful implementation is about ensuring a smooth transition for users and stakeholders. Communicate the plan clearly, test thoroughly, and monitor performance closely to catch and resolve issues quickly.

Conclusion

Creating a roadmap is a complex and challenging task that requires time, discussions, planning, and forecasting. However, once you have a clear action plan, a detailed budget, and an approximate timeline, your modernization project will feel much more achievable.

An application modernization roadmap is one of the most critical aspects of organizing the process, as it aligns all involved teams and provides a clear vision of where your business will be in the near years.

Don't worry if the process doesn't follow the plan 100% accurately. Focus on completing tasks on time and sticking to your goals. Answering and outlining the questions provided in this article will help you build an efficient and precise roadmap that drives your application modernization project forward.

Need help with your application modernization roadmap?

If you need assistance or guidance, feel free to contact our manager. We offer a free consultation to help you evaluate your project and craft a roadmap tailored to your business needs.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex Vasylenko

CEO at The Frontend Company, Founder of Digital Business Card

Alex Vasylenko is the founder of The Frontend Company, DBC and several other successful startups. A dynamic tech entrepreneur, he began his career as a frontend developer at Deloitte and Scandinavia's largest banking company. In 2023, Alex was honored as one of 'Top 10 Emerging Entrepreneurs' by USA Today.

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