Why Brownfield Development Shouldn’t Be Overlooked

Brownfield development refers to the process of modifying or upgrading existing systems, as opposed to starting from scratch (which is sometimes called “greenfield development”). Over time, most businesses make substantial investments in their infrastructure, meaning it is crucial to look at how to revive these areas, rather than suffer a sunk cost.
Of course, there is an argument to be made for innovation, as it sounds like the solution to ‘staying ahead’. But, businesses must also consider the practicality of their strategies. Brownfield development strikes a balance between the practical and the new. It allows organisations to evolve and adapt their existing systems, ultimately supporting long-term growth and sustainability.

1) Cost-Effectiveness: Rebuilding from scratch can be unrealistic and expensive. Brownfield development allows organisations to leverage existing resources, which can significantly reduce costs.

2) Faster Time to Market: Enhancing existing systems often takes less time than building new ones. With the right approach, businesses can implement changes rapidly, enabling them to respond to market demands and customer needs more efficiently.

3) Lower Risk: Starting again involves significant risks, especially when it comes to untested technologies or approaches. By working with existing systems, organisations can build upon established frameworks, reducing uncertainty and increasing the likelihood of success.

4)Familiarity and Expertise: Your team is already familiar with the existing systems, which means they can identify areas for improvement more effectively. This familiarity can lead to better insights and more practical solutions.

5) Maintaining Legacy Value: Legacy systems often hold valuable data and processes that have been refined over time. Brownfield development allows organisations to retain and enhance this value, ensuring that critical information remains accessible while improving functionality.

In 2023, we helped US intercity transport service MegaBus avoid removal in 48 hours by providing emergency diagnostics and brownfield development. Initially facing removal from the Google Play store due to outdated libraries, MegaBus were in a critical position, risking customer disruption and reputational damage- with only two weeks to act.
We deployed our ‘App Defibrillator’ service, running a full diagnostic to determine what the issues were, and acting accordingly. In this case, the issues lay in the legacy libraries that were no longer supported by Google, making areas of their app unfit for use.
After diagnosing the problem areas, our team got to work updating the necessary areas and rebuilding parts of the app to ensure it met all the latest requirements. Using brownfield development and approaching this issue with a mindset of ‘fix, don’t overhaul’, we were able to repair every issue the app was facing and gain app store approval in just two days.

When dealing with legacy and infrastructure headaches, brownfield development shouldn’t be overlooked. It offers a pragmatic approach to modernising technology while minimising costs and risks. Meaning: quicker results, less team stress and better foundations for future innovation (because not everything has to happen today!).

Want to chat more about brownfield? We’re happy to help.

Drop us a line at: hello@indiespring.com