Legacy Teams Don’t Need Cake — They Need a Seat at the Table

With modernization efforts, new systems often get the spotlight and celebrating those wins is important.

But beware the “cake in the break area” trap.

If your legacy support team’s main interaction with your modernization effort is a leftover piece of cake, you’ve fallen into that trap.

Legacy engineers keep the present running while the future is still being built. They bring deep institutional knowledge, production support experience, and insight into why systems were built the way they were — knowledge earned through past rewrites, migrations, and upgrades.

Many are mid-career, not just folks nearing retirement. They’ve got years of impact ahead and can play a vital role in both today’s operations and tomorrow’s transformation.

And yet, there’s a persistent myth: that working on legacy systems means someone is stuck in the past.

The reality? They’re often the ones holding everything together.

This misunderstanding leads to legacy teams being sidelined from modernization work. Not out of malice — but because people are busy, assumptions are made, and there’s a (wrong) belief that they’re not interested in what’s next.

That’s a costly mistake, especially during a period of change.

If You’re Leading Modernization¶

Make deliberate choices to include legacy teams:

Bring them in early. Their system knowledge can reduce risk. Ask them to find gaps.
Explain why they matter. It’s not just respectful, it’s critical to success.
Check in regularly. Interest in contributing can evolve. Use one-on-ones to uncover it.
Make space for contributions. Consider how assignments or priorities can be adjusted to free people up.
Avoid subtle slights. Talk about improvements, but don’t treat “legacy” like a dirty word.
Recognize the team keeping the lights on. Their wins matter, too.

If You Support Legacy Systems¶

And you want to help shape what’s next:

Track your workload. Be clear about your bandwidth. It helps your manager shift priorities as needed.
Share your goals. Show how your experience supports modernization success.
Collaborate openly. Offer insights and advocate for your inclusion.
Upskill with purpose. Learn the tools and approaches shaping the future.
Lead through change. If you’ve seen transformation before, that’s your superpower.
Speak constructively. Frame concerns with context. Help others understand the “why.”

Already stretched too thin to get involved? That’s a real barrier, but it’s also one leaders may be able to address. Have that conversation.

However you choose to engage, your experience matters.

The future is stronger with you in it.