Business System Consultation Center - Our Business System ColumnVol.41 2014.05.01 Takahashi Minoru

The difference between systems that lose value, hold value, and gain value

Thank you for your interest and continued support.
This is Takahashi from the Marketing Plan Research Laboratory.


“Is it absolutely necessary to update or overhaul a system?”
I believe many company presidents have this question.


This issue is by no means a technical one.
We believe that even those who are not system professionals can make a well-informed guess about this.
We believe that even those who are not system professionals


Here are a few points to consider when making that judgment.


Point 1: If it really doesn’t work, replace it
Whether it’s a car or a copier, if it stops working, you have to either dispose of it or replace it
This is only natural, and the same principle applies to systems.


Specifically, you should consider replacing it if the following issues occur:
　　・The system won’t start up, or errors occur frequently
　　・The system runs too slowly (due to hardware issues or excessive data)
　　・There is no maintenance staff, making it impossible to address malfunctions or other issues


Point 2: Inability to comply with new regulations
Both cars and systems are subject to regulations under applicable laws.
For vehicles, this includes emissions; for paints, organic solvents;
and for systems, changes in tax laws.
Systems that struggle to adapt to new regulations
should be considered for early replacement.


Point 3: Peripheral equipment cannot be procured
For vehicles and industrial machinery that are too old,
spare parts and peripherals become unavailable,
eventually requiring consideration of disposal or replacement.


The equipment required for a system refers to devices such as "computers" and "printers"
devices required for input and output operations.
While the operating system inside a computer automatically updates every year,
but as for the system itself,
unless you update it, the "types of OS it supports"
.


If your system has reached a point where you find yourself thinking, “To run the system, we need to procure older computers,”
For systems facing this situation, we recommend considering an early upgrade.


Point 4: Unable to Meet Current Requirements
The expectations that business partners have of companies change year by year.
Similarly, it is only natural that the expectations employees have for the systems used within their companies
is not surprising.
Even when it comes to investments outside of systems,
you likely think daily about ensuring they align with the “times.”


System functionality is defined at the time of development,
and the reality is that it is difficult (from a cost perspective) to incorporate features that anticipate future changes.
　　・It can meet current requirements, but the cost is too high
　　・Cannot meet current requirements (due to a shortage of maintenance staff, technical issues, etc.)
　　・Whether there are requirements that must be met, and whether they are feasible
　　・Whether or not the system can meet the requirements, are there alternative solutions?
Please consider these points when deciding
Please conduct a thorough review based on these points.


That's all.
That's all, Thank you for reading.

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