Legacy tech is a widely recognised barrier to transformation, but a deeper challenge lies in understanding what already exists. Across central government, decades of system changes, undocumented workarounds, and staff turnover have created significant gaps in institutional memory, making modernisation complex, costly, and high-risk. As departments push to adopt AI and new digital services, many are finding that progress is constrained not just by outdated systems, but by a lack of visibility into how those systems operate. This session explores how organisations can take a more strategic approach to modernisation. 

• How can departments better understand and map legacy systems before attempting transformation?
• How should leaders balance the cost of modernisation with long-term operational value?
• What practical approaches enable low-risk migration to modern platforms?