Does this apply to non-engineering legacy (CRM, ERP, etc.)?

Yes — the parallel-run and dependency-orphan sections are stack-agnostic. The strangler-fig pattern is rooted in software but the operational gates work for any replacement project.

How long does a typical upgrade take?

6-18 months for substantial systems. The playbook is structured so you can see your timeline by phase before committing budget — fewer surprises mid-flight.

No. The PDF lands in your inbox within 60 seconds, then nothing unless you opt in. No drip campaign, no salesperson pinging you. Unsubscribe is one click and respected immediately.

Why are you giving this away?

We use these in client engagements every week. If you find them useful and ever decide you want help applying them, you know where to find us. If not, no obligation — we still hope they save you a meeting or two.

Free resource 16 pages · 10-min read · the parallel-run section is worth its own meeting

Legacy System Upgrade Playbook

For operations and engineering leaders modernising a critical legacy system

Plan a strangler-fig replacement with no big-bang risk
Sequence parallel-run gates that protect business continuity
Sunset the legacy cleanly without orphaned dependencies

Legacy System Upgrade Playbook cover preview

What's inside

The 16-page version of legacy upgrade playbook.

01 When to strangle vs rewrite vs replace — a decision framework
02 The 5-phase strangler-fig sequence with explicit exit criteria
03 Parallel-run gates — what to compare, when to fail fast
04 Dependency-orphan checklist — the bits everyone forgets to retire
05 Stakeholder communication template for each phase

Written by Gavin Braithwaite

Founder, Rogue Digital

Pulled from the actual frameworks we use in client engagements — including the artefacts that we hand off at the end of each phase. Not theory. The version of the resource you'd see if we ran the work for you.

Questions before you sign up

The things people ask before clicking the button.

Does this apply to non-engineering legacy (CRM, ERP, etc.)?: Yes — the parallel-run and dependency-orphan sections are stack-agnostic. The strangler-fig pattern is rooted in software but the operational gates work for any replacement project.
How long does a typical upgrade take?: 6-18 months for substantial systems. The playbook is structured so you can see your timeline by phase before committing budget — fewer surprises mid-flight.
Will I get spam?: No. The PDF lands in your inbox within 60 seconds, then nothing unless you opt in. No drip campaign, no salesperson pinging you. Unsubscribe is one click and respected immediately.
Why are you giving this away?: We use these in client engagements every week. If you find them useful and ever decide you want help applying them, you know where to find us. If not, no obligation — we still hope they save you a meeting or two.

Want this applied to your business?

The PDF is a starting point. If you'd rather have us run the engagement, book a 30-minute discovery call and we'll scope it together.

Book a discovery call