Reconciling Legacy and Novel Systems for Enhanced User Interface in Legislative Solutions
Written on January, 2023
Introduction
The modernisation of digital platforms in legislative environments presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. While technological advances offer sophisticated tools for user interface (UI) design and system integration, parliaments worldwide are burdened by the inertia of legacy systems that are several decades old. This essay aims to dissect the complexities involved in enhancing UI in legislative solutions, focusing on the integration of old and new systems, the role of custom development platforms, and the critical importance of accessibility.
The Conundrum of Legacy Systems
The presence of legacy systems in legislative environments is not just a technological challenge but also a financial and operational one. These systems, which may be 20, 30, or even 40 years old, embody substantial historical investments. The platforms often have been custom-built, handcrafted to meet the unique needs of legislative operations. These platforms are not merely digital tools; they are part of the institutional memory and operational fabric of parliaments.
Given the inertia, the strategy to integrate newer technologies into these older platforms must be calculated and nuanced. One can't simply discard older systems due to the considerable investment they represent, both in terms of finances and data integrity. The complexity of this challenge is often broken down into two primary concerns: how to adapt these legacy systems to meet current needs, and how to prepare them for the future, particularly concerning accessibility requirements.
Custom Development Platforms and Life Cycle Management
The historical absence of off-the-shelf legislative digital platforms has led to the rise of custom development platforms in many legislative bodies. These platforms have their own life cycles and have undergone several rounds of revisions. As we stand at the cusp of yet another major life cycle, the question that arises is how to integrate novel technologies like composable architecture, low-code platforms, and cloud services into these custom-built platforms.
With this ongoing evolution, there is a shift from custom-built solutions towards more acquired platforms, leading to a unique blend of high-code and low-code solutions in the legislative digital landscape. Such an approach requires meticulous life cycle management and roadmap planning to phase out older components and phase in new ones, all while ensuring that accessibility remains a core focus from the inception of these projects.
Accessibility: A Non-negotiable Requirement
Accessibility is not just a legal mandate but an ethical imperative. However, meeting accessibility requirements is not trivial, especially when dealing with custom application platforms. The challenge is to retrofit these platforms to meet stringent accessibility standards without passing the considerable costs onto the organisation all at once.
Vendor-provided platforms, particularly those that are cloud-based, are increasingly becoming accessibility-compliant, providing a valuable route for legislative bodies to meet these requirements. Yet, the challenge remains in ensuring that the third-party products integrated into the legislative digital ecosystem are also compliant with accessibility norms.
Conclusion
The enhancement of user interfaces in legislative solutions is a nuanced process, fraught with complexities arising from the co-existence of legacy systems and new technologies. The task becomes even more challenging when one adds the non-negotiable requirement of accessibility into the mix. Therefore, the teams responsible for these projects should not merely be technologically adept but also strategically insightful. They must navigate financial constraints, manage life cycles, and uphold ethical obligations to produce a system that is not just functional and user-friendly but also universally accessible. The future of legislative digital platforms depends on our ability to harmonise the old with the new, all while ensuring that these platforms are inclusive and accessible for all.