Study existing system

A common opinion in replacement projects is that you should avoid studying the legacy system so as to not become overly influenced by it. There are a number of reasons this line of thinking is probably wrong: - Users are often blinded by the legacy system but they have been working with it for years. Studying it for a short period will not have the samme effect. - You will often get ideas about how things can be done differently by looking at how it is done today. - It is much easier to understand the users if you understand the system they are familiar with. They will often describe their needs in terms of the existing system. - By studying the legacy system you will find ways of replacing it in stages. "If you treat the legacy system as a black box it will tend to be perceived as monolithic."