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Tag: software

Dragging You Down

Innovation Drag: How Legacy Systems Hold Back IT Teams, Budgets, and Modernization

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

In the modern enterprise, agility and speed are no longer competitive advantages—they are survival tools. Yet for organizations, legacy systems act like an anchor, slowing progress and draining resources. “Innovation drag” or the friction that leads to the slowdown, prevents IT teams from kicking off digitization and modernization projects at the pace business demands. Innovation drag can quietly undermine an organization’s ability to compete, and throttle team momentum. What Is Innovation Drag? Innovation drag (from an IT perspective) is the reduction of a team’s capacity to...

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The Strangler Fig software pattern

Modernizing Legacy Systems with the Strangler Fig Pattern: Best Practices, Risks & Financial Implications

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

Legacy systems—while often reliable—are frequently known to be a major bottleneck for innovation. Businesses tied to outdated platforms face higher maintenance costs, slower delivery cycles, and increased security risks. Yet the path to modernization is laden with challenges, especially for mission-critical systems. This is where the Strangler Fig Pattern offers a compelling, low-risk solution. We touched on the Strangler Fig in our previous blog post about composable architecture and thought it warranted its own post. In this blog we will explore what the Strangler Fig Pattern is,...

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Compostable Architecture

Composable Architecture: A Smart Choice—or Risky Gambit? 

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

Composable architecture—a modular, API-first model built from discrete, interchangeable services—is rapidly gaining traction. We’ve written about it in the past, but  Gartner predicts that 70% of large and midsize organizations will consider composability a key success criterion, and it may accelerate feature delivery by up to 80% (Newstack.io). However, as with any architectural paradigm, it comes with trade-offs.  Advantages  Faster Time to Market & Agility Organizations using composable systems launch new features up to 80% faster, driven by reusable components...

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Legacy Systems and AI?

Legacy Software + AI?

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

What Tech Leaders Need to Know Before Jumping on the AI Bandwagon  For many organizations, legacy software systems are both mission-critical and increasingly difficult to manage. These systems often sit at the heart of business operations, yet struggle to keep pace with modern demands, integrate poorly with new tools, and are costly to maintain. Traditionally, updating or replacing these systems has been a slow, high-risk endeavor. But, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), tech leaders now have a powerful new option to support, modernize, and even revitalize legacy...

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AI Adoption

AI Adoption in B2B Business — And the Challenges It Creates for Tech Leaders

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer an experimental tool—it’s now a core driver of innovation, efficiency, and competitive advantage for B2B companies across virtually every industry. From automating workflows to generating predictive insights, AI is enabling organizations to streamline operations, improve customer experiences, uncover risk and unlock new revenue streams.  However, while the promise of AI is vast, its adoption brings complexity and concern; especially for senior technical staff and IT leaders tasked with integrating it responsibly and effectively. In...

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Tackle Tech Debt

The True Cost of Technical Debt — And How IT Leaders Are Tackling It in 2025 

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

In today’s digital-first economy, the pressure to innovate faster than the competition is unrelenting. But in that urgency, many organizations find, when looking back, that they cut corners; choosing short-term fixes over scalable, sustainable solutions. The result? Technical debt — a growing challenge that affects productivity, innovation, business continuity and even client relationships.  While some technical debt is strategic and manageable, much of it becomes a silent killer, slowly eroding an organization’s ability to evolve. In 2025, IT leaders are treating tech debt as a...

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Knowledge is Power

Stability at Speed, Innovation at Scale: Explore What We Can Do for You

Written by James Freeman on . Posted in Blog.

At STEP Software we know that choosing a software development partner is a critical business decision. Whether you’re looking to modernize legacy systems, build a custom platform from the ground up, or scale your digital infrastructure, it’s essential to understand who you’re working with and what they bring to the table.   That’s why we’ve created an updated Capabilities Deck, now available for download directly from our website. It’s designed to give you a clear, concise overview of our technical expertise, industry experience, and the value we deliver on every...

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legacy software

This is Your Legacy: Integrate new technology with your existing software 

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

In the fast-paced world of tech, the appeal of replacing legacy software systems with sleek, modern alternatives can be compelling. Buzzwords like “digital transformation” and “cloud-native” are dominating boardroom conversations, and vendors are encouraging businesses to take an ‘out with the old and in with the new’ approach. However, this mindset often overlooks a critical truth: integrating new technology while maintaining and optimizing legacy systems can often be a more strategically sound choice and a fiscally responsible one, for many organizations.  Legacy Systems: The...

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Hiring software developers for your team? Ask these 8 questions first

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Hiring software developers for your team? Ask these 8 questions first

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP That’s because as much as choosing who will design the critical code that powers your business depends on their raw technical talent, that talent can’t be brought to bear if you’re not comfortable being around them. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to suggest that the most successful software engineers are just as gifted with soft skills as they are with coding ability – and that these often-overlooked non-technical abilities are as crucial to the final outcome as anything else. Because no matter how brilliant an individual or team of developers...

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Southwest Airlines meltdown: a reminder why software maintenance matters

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog. No Comments on Southwest Airlines meltdown: a reminder why software maintenance matters

IT WASN’T MOTHER NATURE’S FAULT While the cancellation rate for most other major U.S. airlines – American, United, Delta, and JetBlue – ranged between 0 and 2% on the Tuesday before Christmas, Southwest had grounded 70% of its flights on Monday, and 60% on Tuesday. By Tuesday morning, Southwest’s schedule accounted for fully 2,522 of the 2,890 flight cancellations reported across the U.S. The airline that has cultivated a scrappy, humorous brand since its founding in 1967 suddenly found itself tripped up by a crew scheduling system that couldn’t keep up.  The root...

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