Retro Rational: Making Wise Choices in a High-Tech World

As a digital transformation evangelist, I've seen firsthand the incredible value that emerging technologies can bring to organizations of all sizes. The push towards digital is not just a trend; it's a fundamental shift that's reshaping how we do business. But in our excitement to embrace the new, we shouldn't overlook the lessons and value that existing technologies can offer. This article isn't a call to return to the past or a rejection of the digital revolution. Instead, it's an exploration of how, in specific contexts, traditional approaches can complement our digital strategies, offering efficiency, cost savings, and even competitive advantages. Let's dive into some examples where going "retro" made strategic sense.:

1. Monoliths over Microservices - How Amazon Prime Video Went Vintage: Amazon's Prime Video team decided move from microservices architecture and go back to a monolith. The result? A staggering 90% reduction in their infrastructure cost. While this move may not be for everyone, this proves that a pragmatic solution to a current problem may not always be the latest and greatest. You can read more about this here.
2. On-Prem over Public Cloud - Why Ahrefs Decided to Stay Home: The Singaporean SEO business, Ahrefs, saved up to $400 million over three years by keeping its servers at home. Who needs the cloud when you've got a cozy basement? While the benefits of moving to the cloud is multi-fold, sometimes a pragmatic choice of staying on prem may be a better choice. You can read more about this here.
3. Mainframes over Open Systems - How IBM Keeps It Real with the Classics: According to IBM, Mainframes manage 68% of IT workloads while accounting for just 6% of total spending. By sticking with the mainframe system, Kela, a Finnish government agency, avoided rewriting millions of lines of code and saved millions of euros annually. You can read more about this here.
4. COBOL over Modern Programming Languages - How Old Code Still Keeps the World Running: Believe it or not, COBOL, a programming language developed in the 1950s, is still alive and kicking. Many critical systems, such as banking and government operations, rely on COBOL. When the State of New Jersey needed volunteers to manage its unemployment benefits system during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was COBOL programmers they were after. It's like discovering that your granddad's old car still runs like a dream – sometimes, the classics just won't quit. You can read more about this here.
5. Waterfall Model over Agile - Why NASA Sticks to the Plan: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) often uses the Waterfall model, a more traditional and linear approach. Why? Because when you're sending a rover to Mars, you can't exactly make it up as you go along. The Waterfall model's structured stages allow for careful planning and thorough testing, ensuring that everything is perfect before launch. You can read more about this here.

These examples illustrate that while the digital transformation continues to drive incredible innovation and growth, there are situations where traditional technologies and methodologies offer unique advantages. As leaders in the digital transformation journey, our challenge is to navigate this complex landscape with wisdom, balancing the excitement of the new with the proven value of the existing. It's not about being retro; it's about being strategic, adaptable, and always focused on delivering the best outcomes for our organizations and our clients. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my expense reports to fax out.