Since legacy systems are systems that by definition have been inherited from the past, they can pose special challenges for an organization. This is especially the case as these systems reach end-of-life, when supporting the status quo becomes difficult. The pain of not doing something new increases as business benefits erode.

The trouble is, the process is insidious. Like a garden slowly falling into neglect, it's hard to see what's happening on a day-to-day basis. The problem creeps up on you. Then, one day, you can suddenly be faced with the fact that your legacy systems are no longer affordable. And not just in terms of how big a slice of the budget they require, but because they divert funds from new initiatives essential to business competitiveness.

Rather than endure this insidious process, why not examine the status quo and develop an ongoing roadmap for change? Proactively analyzing some of the less-obvious effects of legacy systems can give you "fresh eyes" to see how badly legacy systems are affecting your company's ability to do business.