Enterprise Evolution | THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS
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Enterprise Evolution
The Assessment Process
Enterprise Evolution, a discipline in the legacy modernization domain, is a collection of tool-enabled
disciplines that facilitates the understanding, improvement, migration, reuse and/or transformation of
existing software systems. This is the first in a 3-part series of white papers that discusses the
assessment phase of an Enterprise Evolution modernization initiative.
If you plan to maintain, improve, migrate, transform or otherwise modify information systems,
knowledge of those systems is essential. Just as a surgeon would never operate without obtaining x-rays
and performing other diagnostics, a project team working on software systems must similarly obtain an
understanding of those systems.
Assessments rely on tool-enabled, analyst-assisted examination of systems and related artifacts along
with discussions with subject matter experts. Assessments support large or small projects for a variety of
scenarios including full-scale replacement, package deployment, platform or language migration,
remediation, integration, consolidation and small, localized enhancements.
Assessment Benefits
The benefits of performing an assessment vary based on the type of project involved. The larger the
project, the greater the benefit derived from the assessment. At a most basic level, an assessment allows
project teams to streamline implementation tasks and delivery timeframes while increasing project
success rates.
A second important benefit of performing an assessment is the provision of highly useful technical and
functional documentation to project teams. For example, assessment generated documentation supports
portfolio analysis, outsourcing plans, ongoing enhancements and improvements, and, of course,
modernization projects.
Confirming the viability of a proposed approach is another benefit of an assessment. For example,
management may plan to replace three systems with