Photo by Yannik Wenk on Unsplash: Modern urban playground.

Every now and then I am hit by an incident that reminds me how true the old adage is that says, “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”. In a recent project, a company was rushing to modernize their critical software because they just heard the news that Microsoft SharePoint 2007 is approaching End of Life in few short months. Needless to say, don’t wait for the last minute, have a good plan in place and most importantly have an ongoing process to modernize and keep up with the evolving tech world.

Modernization can mean different things to different people. Here are my four that could be a good launching pad for any size company.

THINK GREEN, no matter what side you are on environment debate. It is always good for business to conserve, reduce and recycle. For starter focus on water, paper, and power. Find more simple easy to do tips here.

INVEST IN PEOPLE, your employees are your most valuable assets. Be proactive in nourishing them. See these great tips from INC magazine.

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY, don’t get caught by surprise with End of Life scenarios. Discover few ideas about how to benefit from Cloud Technology from INC magazine.

BE CREATIVE, push the boundaries and break few rules. You may surprise yourself. Check out this inspirational TED talk to get you moving.

The last word: Modernization is about staying current. The small investment in planning upfront can save you big on a long term.

Sign-up and receive End of Life assessment worksheet that I’ve created to help you start planning before it’s too late.