Why Application Replacement Fails Without Onboarding and Sunsetting

The firm’s latest blueprint, Master Systematic Application Replacement With a Fit-for-Purpose Plan, argues that successful digital transitions require a lifecycle perspective rather than a focus on implementation alone. CIOs and IT leaders frequently overlook the complexities of retiring legacy systems, which leads to data fragmentation, lingering dependencies, and avoidable disruption.

Jinit Shah, a research analyst at Info-Tech, emphasizes that onboarding establishes the trajectory for user engagement and value realization. By aligning cross-functional teams early, organizations can accelerate adoption and ensure that new systems meet user needs from day one. Conversely, the sunsetting phase demands a rigorous assessment of readiness and risk. A controlled transition ensures that legacy components are decommissioned without compromising data integrity or continuity. The firm provides a two-phase methodology to navigate these transitions, offering tools for journey mapping and maturity assessments to help leaders move away from outdated systems with confidence.