For years, legacy modernisation in the public sector has been a stand-in phrase for simply replacing old technology. Now, the conversation with public sector and digital leaders is shifting beyond ageing systems towards a wider issue on how the sector can reduce technology risk while creating the conditions for faster, more reliable and more modern public services. The real issue is developing a digital foundation that gives employees better tools, uses public resources more effectively, and creates a stronger foundation for the practical adoption of advanced innovations such as artificial intelligence.
The Government's updated definition of legacy IT, published this summer, is capturing this mindset shift. Instead of defining legacy by age or the hosting model, the definition is now ‘deliberately centred on burden or risk' covering a range of factors, such as vendor support, contracts, skills, fitness for purpose, hardware, and cyber security. It might seem like a small change in wording, but it has an important practical impact – legacy is no longer defined principally by age; it is defined by the risk and constraints it can create.
