The migration that never ends

Ever watched a construction crew erect a 50-story skyscraper in two years flat… while your core banking migration limps into year four?

You’re not alone.

We once sat across from a CIO who had aged visibly since his bank kicked off its “18-month” migration three years ago. “We’re at 99%,” he said, holding a mug labeled ‘Launch Ready Since 2022.’ “Just a few more delays and we’re good.” That was a year ago.

The cartoon says it all: core migrations can stall out for years, stuck in an endless loop of testing, replanning, and politely worded updates to the board. Let’s talk about why this happens—and how to break the cycle.

 

Why Long-Running Migrations Are So Common (and Dangerous)

It starts with good intentions: a safer phased approach, a focus on risk mitigation, maybe a little scope flexibility. But somewhere between “careful” and “chronic,” projects start to drift.

Here’s what we often see:

• Scope creep disguised as enhancement: “While we’re in there, let’s just…” becomes the migration’s slow death spiral.
• Fear of failure leads to perfection paralysis: Teams delay rollout to avoid bugs—only to rack up more complexity as parallel systems age.
• Vendor dependency bottlenecks: Waiting on third-party fixes or certifications can bring everything to a halt.
• Underestimated legacy tangles: That “simple interface” turns out to have 120 downstream dependencies… some undocumented.

 

The Real Cost of Never-Ending Migrations

A drawn-out migration doesn’t just waste time—it eats opportunity and morale. Let’s break it down:

• Innovation stalls: You’re too busy stabilizing old code in two systems to build anything new.
• Talent leaves: Top performers don’t want to babysit a zombie project.
• Customers feel it: Broken journeys, mixed messages, and slow time-to-market erode trust.
• Executive patience wears thin: Eventually, “almost there” becomes “start over.”

And let’s not forget the compounding cost. A 24-month project that balloons to 48 months doesn’t just double in price—it drains momentum, attention, and credibility.

 

What’s Really Behind the Delay?

We’ve been on both sides—inside the program team, and outside helping clean up the aftermath. What’s behind that last 1% that takes forever?

1. Unclear Definition of Done

If “go-live” means different things to compliance, operations, and tech, you’ll circle that final milestone endlessly.

Fix: Define done clearly—functionally, technically, and operationally. And agree on it early.

2. Inflexible Planning

Your Gantt chart may look beautiful, but if it can’t adapt to on-the-ground learning, it will turn against you.

Fix: Combine structured milestones with agile delivery practices to course-correct in real-time.

3. Siloed Accountability

If nobody owns cross-functional risks, everything falls through the cracks—including your go-live date.

Fix: Assign end-to-end accountability to someone empowered to make cross-domain decisions.

4. Legacy Integration Gravity

You’re not just migrating to a new system—you’re migrating from one that’s grown roots over decades.

Fix: Invest early in system mapping, dependency impact analysis, and decoupling strategies.

 

Strategies to Break the Cycle

It’s not about rushing. It’s about moving with purpose. Here’s how:

1. Conduct a “Migration Health Check”

Every 90 days, ask:

• Are we still moving forward, or just in motion?
• Are key decisions being made, or avoided?
• Are our teams aligned on priorities, or waiting for someone else to move?

2. Ruthlessly Prioritize MVP

Launch with a Minimum Viable Platform that delivers value fast—and build from there.

3. Create Momentum Milestones

Celebrate small but meaningful wins (like cutting over a region, automating a process, or decommissioning a legacy module). These keep morale and credibility high.

4. Empower a Transformation PMO

This team’s job? Keep the focus on outcomes, not just timelines. Connect strategy, delivery, and change management with clear authority.

 

A Real-World Turnaround Story

A regional bank we worked with had been slogging through a 4-year core migration with little to show for it. They were stuck at 95%—with teams burning out and execs losing faith.

We helped them restart by:

• Re-baselining scope to prioritize real business outcomes
• Shifting from monolithic releases to phased value drops
• Establishing a single, empowered transformation lead

Result? They went live within 14 months—with fewer bugs and faster adoption than they’d seen in the entire previous timeline.

 

Transformation ≠ Endless Planning

Let’s be blunt: if your core upgrade has taken longer than building an airport terminal or replacing a bridge, it’s time to ask the hard questions.

• Are we stuck in analysis mode?
• Are we over-engineering for perfection?
• Are we solving the wrong problems—or avoiding the right ones?

You don’t need more time. You need sharper alignment, smarter prioritization, and stronger delivery discipline.

 

Moving Forward

Core migrations are hard. But they don’t have to be endless.

With the right focus, accountability, and willingness to reset when needed, even the most stagnant projects can move forward with clarity and confidence.

As the cartoon suggests—your tech program shouldn’t outlast a skyscraper project. If it does, it’s time to stop admiring your project plan and start shipping value.

Your Next Step

If your core banking transformation is starting to resemble a never-ending epic, it might be time for a fresh perspective.

Use the OptimizeCore® Scorecard to assess where you stand—and how to break through.

 

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