Like-for-like change management (also known as a technical upgrade) is a strategy used to control the scope and complexity of software or system updates by replacing a product with its newer version without adding new features or changing business processes simultaneously.
The key aspects of this approach:
1. The Core Philosophy: “Scope Control”
The primary goal is to manage the increasing pace of technology updates (such as “Windows as a Service”) by limiting the project’s breadth. By focusing solely on the technical replacement, organizations can maintain control over the effort and resources required.
2. Reducing Complexity
Standard enterprise upgrades are often large, costly, and disruptive because organizations try to do too much at once. A “like-for-like” approach helps avoid the “compounding” complexity of:
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Overhauling or improving business operations.
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Exploiting new features immediately.
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Managing extensive new customizations.
3. Addressing “Technical Debt”
Many companies defer upgrades to save money, but the author compares this to not paying off a credit card—it simply increases “debt” over time. Eventually, upgrades are mandatory to ensure:
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Security: Staying protected against modern threats.
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Stability: Keeping the system running reliably.
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Compliance: Meeting requirements for support agreements with vendors.
4. Strategic Benefits
While a like-for-like change doesn’t necessarily slow down the frequency of updates, it makes them more manageable. It serves as an essential tool for maintaining Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) products and moving toward an “evergreen” IT environment where systems are kept current with minimal friction.
Learn More: For a deeper dive into executing this strategy, and its application beyond information technology introduction or upgrade, visit my dedicated resource at likeforlike.therf.ca.
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