YOUR PLATFORM STILL RUNS THE BUSINESS.
IT JUST CAN’T BE CHANGED ANYMORE.

THE PLATFORM STILL NEEDS EXPERIENCED PEOPLE, BUT THE NUMBER OF DEVELOPERS WILLING TO WORK ON THE STACK KEEPS GETTING SMALLER.

NEW HIRES INHERIT YEARS OF UNDOCUMENTED BEHAVIOUR, HIDDEN DEPENDENCIES AND WORKAROUNDS THAT ONLY MAKE SENSE TO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE WHEN THEY WERE CREATED. GETTING SOMEONE PRODUCTIVE TAKES LONGER THAN IT SHOULD, WHILE TOO MUCH CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE REMAINS CONCENTRATED IN A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE.

THE TECHNOLOGY IS BECOMING DIFFICULT TO HIRE FOR. THE KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN IT IS BECOMING EVEN HARDER TO REPLACE.

THE FEATURE ITSELF IS RARELY THE DIFFICULT PART. UNDERSTANDING WHAT CHANGING IT MIGHT BREAK IS.

A REQUEST THAT SHOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS BECOMES A MULTI-WEEK EXERCISE BECAUSE NOBODY HAS COMPLETE VISIBILITY INTO THE DEPENDENCIES AROUND IT. RELEASES REQUIRE MORE TESTING, MORE CAUTION AND MORE PEOPLE THAN THEY SHOULD.

OVER TIME, MAINTENANCE CONSUMES MORE OF THE ROADMAP. THE PLATFORM STILL WORKS, BUT EVERY IMPROVEMENT CARRIES A COST THAT FEELS INCREASINGLY DISCONNECTED FROM THE VALUE OF THE CHANGE ITSELF.

TECHNICAL DEBT CAN STAY INTERNAL FOR YEARS. THEN SOMEBODY OUTSIDE THE PRODUCT TEAM STARTS ASKING QUESTIONS.

AN AUDIT FLAGS UNSUPPORTED SOFTWARE. A CERTIFICATION INTRODUCES NEW REQUIREMENTS. AN INSURER QUESTIONS THE STACK. AN ENTERPRISE CUSTOMER WANTS SECURITY ASSURANCES. AN INVESTOR OR ACQUIRER BEGINS TECHNICAL DUE DILIGENCE.

SUDDENLY THE PROBLEM IS NO LONGER “WE SHOULD MODERNISE THIS EVENTUALLY.” THERE IS A DEADLINE, SOMEONE IS LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD, AND THE BUSINESS NEEDS AN ANSWER IT CAN STAND BEHIND.

THE PLATFORM STILL WORKS, BUT THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT IT DELIVERS AND WHAT USERS EXPECT KEEPS GETTING WIDER.

MOBILE PERFORMANCE IS SLIPPING. PAGES ARE HEAVIER THAN THEY SHOULD BE. TECHNICAL SEO IMPROVEMENTS ARE DIFFICULT TO SHIP, AND STRAIGHTFORWARD FRONTEND CHANGES ARE TANGLED UP WITH ARCHITECTURE NOBODY WANTS TO DISTURB.

NOTHING NECESSARILY BREAKS OVERNIGHT. TRAFFIC BECOMES HARDER TO DEFEND, CONVERSION SLOWLY SUFFERS, AND THE PLATFORM STARTS RELYING MORE ON THE AUTHORITY IT BUILT YEARS AGO THAN THE EXPERIENCE IT DELIVERS TODAY.