IBM i modernization success starts with the right strategy. These projects are inherently complex and high-stakes, where poor planning and execution can lead to costly delays, budget overruns, and unmet goals.
At Fresche, we’ve guided hundreds of organizations through their IBM i modernization journeys and observed clear patterns in what works — and what doesn’t. In our experience, organizations that adopt IBM i modernization best practices consistently achieve better results, including improved operational efficiency, enhanced user satisfaction, and significant cost savings.
The difference between success and failure often comes down to the approach: strategic, incremental improvements versus massive, disruptive overhauls. Successful IBM i modernization prioritizes quick wins that deliver immediate value while laying the foundation for long-term goals.
This guide outlines the 10 most impactful do’s and don’ts of IBM i modernization, based on real-world implementations across diverse industries. You’ll discover practical strategies for identifying quick wins, avoiding common pitfalls, and leveraging modern technologies like AI, automation, and analytics to accelerate your progress.
Whether you’re just beginning to explore modernization options or looking to optimize an ongoing initiative, these proven practices will help you maximize value while minimizing risk and disruption.
Do: Build a Phased Roadmap in 4 Simple Steps
Instead of trying to modernize everything at once, successful teams map out a step-by-step plan. Starting with a phased approach allows you to deliver value early and continuously, while limiting disruption. Here’s how to get started:
- Phase 1: Assessment & Strategy
Analyze your system to identify key challenges and opportunities. Collaborate with IT and business teams to set clear goals and priorities. - Phase 2: Phased Execution
Focus on one area at a time, starting with high-impact improvements like order entry screens or manual processes. - Phase 3: UI Modernization
Upgrade outdated green screens to modern, web-friendly interfaces to improve workflows and user experience. - Phase 4: Testing & Deployment
Test thoroughly to ensure smooth integration, then roll out updates with minimal disruption.
Why take this approach? It delivers results faster, reduces risk, and keeps stakeholders engaged with visible progress.
👉 Learn more about IBM i Modernization as a Service (MaaS) and the incremental approach to making an impact.
Don’t: Try to Replace Everything at Once
A full-scale rewrite might sound like the fastest path to modernization, but it’s often a recipe for delays, budget overruns, and frustration. Trying to replace everything at once can overwhelm teams and stall progress when priorities inevitably shift.
Instead of an “all or nothing” approach, break your modernization goals into smaller, manageable projects that deliver value at every step. Here’s how:
- Start Small: Focus on high-impact areas like customer-facing interfaces or manual processes that are easy to modernize and show quick results.
- Leverage Proven Patterns: Use strategies like API wrappers to extend the life of your existing business logic or gradually update interfaces without disrupting operations.
- Layer in Modern Technology: Stabilize your core systems while introducing modern tools like automation, analytics, or mobile-friendly interfaces in phases.
This incremental approach reduces risk, keeps your team focused, and builds momentum as you deliver measurable wins along the way.
Do: Set Priorities Based on Impact, Effort, and Risk
Not every modernization project delivers equal value. Prioritizing which initiatives to tackle first helps your team focus effort where it matters most for users and the organization.
Tips for effective prioritization:
- Rate potential projects based on business impact, technical effort required, user reach, and implementation risk
- Start with high-impact, lower-complexity projects to build momentum and demonstrate success
- Conduct user interviews or job shadowing sessions to confirm which pain points deserve top priority
This systematic approach ensures your IBM i modernization best practices align with actual business needs rather than technical preferences.
Don’t: Choose Tools Before Clarifying Your Goals
Selecting technology before you fully understand the problem often results in costly dead ends and frustrated users. It’s important to take a goal-first approach to prevent the common mistake of forcing business processes to fit around technology limitations.
What to do instead:
- Document the specific business problems you want to solve before evaluating modernization strategies.
- Include end-users and stakeholders when reviewing tool options to ensure proper alignment.
- Start with a pilot project to validate whether a new tool or platform genuinely supports your objectives.
Do: Modernize User Interfaces Where They Offer the Biggest Gains
Improving user experience often delivers some of the quickest wins in IBM i modernization. Updated interfaces boost productivity, reduce training time for new employees, and increase overall user satisfaction.
How to approach UI modernization:
- Analyze usage patterns to identify the most frequently used screens and workflows.
- Redesign interfaces for these key areas, adding productivity features like auto-fill, validation indicators, and streamlined navigation.
- Measure success through transaction time reduction, error rate improvement, and user feedback scores.
Modern interfaces also make it easier to support remote work and mobile access, addressing today’s flexible workplace requirements.
💡 Read the story of how Mitsubishi Motors Nederland BV transformed their IBM i (AS/400) green screens into a user-friendly, future-proof dealer interface.
Don’t: Neglect Data Quality and Reporting Needs
Modernization isn’t just about interfaces and workflows — data plays a critical role. Poor data quality or outdated reporting systems can undermine even the best modernization efforts.
Common IBM i data challenges include:
- Inconsistent formats across legacy applications.
- Duplicate records from system migrations.
- Users relying on spreadsheets due to inadequate reporting tools.
Even the best user interfaces are ineffective without quality data. A strong data infrastructure is essential for successful automation and AI initiatives. Focus on these key areas:
- Create curated datasets and role-based dashboards tailored to specific departmental needs.
- Standardize reporting definitions to ensure consistent data interpretation across the organization.
- Deploy modern BI tools that connect directly to IBM i DB2 (e.g., Power BI or Tableau).
- Implement automated data validation at the point of entry to prevent future quality issues.
👉 Explore how IBM i Db2 integrates with Microsoft Fabric to modernize your data strategy.
Do: Use Automation to Remove Repetitive, Manual Tasks
Automation is one of the most effective IBM I modernization best practices. By automating repetitive, manual processes, you can free up valuable resources, reduce errors, and improve overall efficiency.
How to get started with automation:
- Identify time-consuming, repetitive tasks like data entry, report generation, or batch processing.
- Use tools like robotic process automation (RPA) or IBM i-native automation solutions to streamline these workflows.
- Measure the impact of automation by tracking time savings, error reduction, and employee satisfaction.
Automation not only improves operational efficiency but also allows your team to focus on higher-value tasks that drive innovation.
Do: Unlock the Power of APIs to Extend IBM i Capabilities
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are a powerful way to modernize your IBM i environment without disrupting core systems. They allow you to integrate IBM i with modern tools, platforms, and services, extending its functionality and enabling new capabilities.
How to leverage APIs effectively:
- Use APIs to connect IBM i with cloud services, mobile apps, or third-party tools.
- Build custom APIs to expose key business logic and data to other systems.
- Start with small, high-impact integrations, such as enabling mobile access to order management or connecting analytics tools to your database.
PRO TIP: APIs provide a flexible, scalable way to modernize your IBM i environment while preserving the value of your existing systems.
Don’t: Over-Customize When Standard Solutions Exist
While customization can address unique business needs, over-customizing your IBM i environment can lead to technical debt, higher maintenance costs, and reduced flexibility. It makes upgrades and integrations more complex and time-consuming, it increases reliance on specific developers or vendors, creating long-term dependencies, and it can result in bloated systems that are difficult to manage and scale.
What to do instead:
- Evaluate whether standard solutions or off-the-shelf tools can meet your needs before considering customization.
- Limit customizations to areas where they provide significant, measurable value.
- Document all customizations thoroughly to ensure maintainability and knowledge transfer.
📖 Learn how to clear decades of technical debt and modernize smarter with the eBook, “IBM i Cloud: The Smarter Way to Clear Decades of Technical Debt.”
Do: Set Up Ongoing Delivery and Support Systems
IBM i modernization isn’t a one-time project — it’s a continuous journey that requires continuous improvement, monitoring, and support. Setting up systems for ongoing delivery ensures your modernization efforts remain effective, scalable, and aligned with evolving business needs. Here are some ways to approach ongoing delivery and support:
- Build a framework for continuous delivery, using agile and phased approaches to deliver incremental updates.
- Monitor system performance and user feedback to identify opportunities for further optimization.
- Provide training and resources to empower your teams to maintain and expand modernization efforts.
- Foster collaboration across IT and business units to ensure alignment and sustained momentum.
By embedding these IBM i modernization best practices into your strategy, you can achieve quick wins while building a strong foundation for long-term success.
BONUS: Use AI for Specific, Well-Defined Use Cases
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most exciting IBM i modernization best practices when applied to specific, well-defined use cases. delivers the most value when applied to clearly defined business challenges rather than broad, undefined problems. Some examples where AI can deliver significant value in IBM i modernization include predictive maintenance that identifies and addresses system issues before they cause downtime, assisting with code analysis to support refactoring and documentation efforts, and suggesting recommended actions to users based on historical data.
How to get started with AI:
- Identify specific business problems that AI can solve, such as reducing churn or improving forecasting accuracy.
- Start with small pilot projects to validate AI’s impact before scaling up.
- Ensure your data is clean, well-structured, and accessible to maximize AI’s effectiveness.
👉 Check out AI in Action: Use Cases for inspiration on how to apply AI in your IBM i environment.
Learn Even More: Discover Practical IBM i Modernization Tactics in Our On-Demand Webinar
Modernizing your IBM i environment doesn’t have to be complicated or risky. By starting with small, strategic projects, focusing on what matters most, and empowering your teams with the right tools and best practices, you can make real, measurable progress.
Still, every company’s journey is unique, and many teams have questions about where to start, how to prioritize, or what results are typical. That’s why we invite you to watch our on-demand webinar, “Quick Wins with Phased IBM i Modernization: What Teams Can Do Today.”
In this expert-led session, IBM i modernization specialists walk through real case studies, practical phased modernization approaches, and lessons learned from successful implementations. Whether you’re exploring automation opportunities, considering AI integration or need strategies for overcoming common obstacles, this webinar is packed with insights.
Watch our webinar to learn more about IBM i modernization best practices and how to achieve quick wins.
