Insights
‘Beyond the noise’ cuts through the chatter with clear, actionable insights on tech, SaaS, and product. A no-fluff blog by Eli5 and friends.
Eli5 article review series: Software modernization and the future of SaaS
This week, we discussed the recent panic in the SaaS market and the realities of using AI to modernize deep legacy systems. There is a wave of application rebuilding and replacement going on. At Eli5, we review articles about software modernization every week to find real value for CTOs, PMs, and POs who have to deal with the modernization of legacy software.
Eli5 article review series: Software modernization, buy or build
This week, we reviewed articles regarding the buy or build decision when modernizing software. There is a wave of application rebuilding and replacement going on. At Eli5, we review articles about software modernization every week to find real value for CTOs, PMs, and POs who have to deal with the modernization of legacy software.
Eli5 article review series: LLM assisted software modernization
This week, we reviewed articles regarding LLM support for legacy software modernization. There is a wave of application rebuilding and replacement going on. At Eli5, we review articles about software modernization every week to find real value for CTOs, PMs, and POs who have to deal with the modernization of legacy software.
Building authority beyond AI content for B2B companies
We’re drowning the internet in AI-generated crappy content. Every day, millions of articles flood search results, social feeds, and inboxes. Most of it reads like it was written by a machine that learned English from corporate press releases. The winners won't be the ones who publish the most. They'll be the ones who publish the best and do it consistently. B2B buyers today demand authority, trust, and insights. They can spot generic content from a mile away. They're looking for companies that understand their problems deeply enough to offer genuine solutions. This creates a massive opportunity for companies willing to invest in high-value content creation. The question isn't whether you should create content. It's whether you'll create content that actually matters. Yes, obviously I leverage AI to write this article. I’m not a dummy. But I did put my time, attention, and some love in it, while using AI to do the boring work that normally cost me 4-8 hours.
Article series on replacing legacy software, part 2: data and data migration
When organizations replace legacy software, the biggest technical challenge is safely moving decades of business-critical data from old systems to new ones without losing information, corrupting records, or disrupting daily operations. Think of data migration like moving a library that's been operating for 25 years. The books (your data) have been organized by librarians who've long since retired. Some books are misfiled, others have pages missing, and the catalog system uses a numbering scheme nobody fully remembers. Now you need to move everything to a new building with a completely different organization system, and the library can't close during the move. After reading this article, readers will understand how to approach data migration when replacing legacy systems, what challenges they'll face, and practical strategies to preserve business continuity during the transition.
The Aikido to regulatory pressure: Stop fighting regulation and start winning
In martial arts, the difference between a fighter and an Aikido master is not power, but approach. The fighter braces for impact and throws punches harder with every incoming attack. The Aikido master accepts the force as it comes and redirects it, turning pressure into momentum. Unless you want to stop serving the European market, your company is already on the mat with the EU. Regulations like the AI Act, DORA, NIS2, and CSRD are unavoidable. Fines reach into the millions. Executives themselves can now be held personally liable. The deadlines are real, and there is no negotiating with them. Most organizations will approach this wave like regular fighters, locking themselves into a struggle against rules they cannot resist. The smart ones will take the Aikido path. They will channel the pressure into systems that make them not just compliant, but more productive, more resilient, and more competitive.
The Conscious 1%: Leading a new renaissance in the era of AI
AI and robotics are making the world’s productivity trend towards infinity. The cost of goods, services, and labor is expected to collapse to near zero over the next few decades. We are closing in on a frictionless outer world. How are we going to make an impact when the golden metric of productivity is rapidly losing its meaning? I believe the new scarcity will go deeper than mere productivity and into a realm where those who are in tune with themselves will prevail. Think about it for a second: the things that will really count in an AI-first world will be decision quality, taste, and resonance. In order to ace these three, one needs to master their inner world.
Outsmarting Metcalfe's Law: how successful companies scale development without chaos
In my professional life, working on innovation and software projects, everything always revolved around time (money), deadlines and quality. Since software development is a creative field, many things are unpredictable. And who likes unpredictability? My search for coping with the unpredictability that consequently leads to project delivery disasters led me to renowned engineer and software architect Fred Brooks. He once said "adding manpower to a late software project makes it later". The reasons for that "fact" have been partly uncovered by Robert Metcalfe, calling it Metcalfe's Law. I'm combining his analysis of communication complexity with our own experience at Eli5, to give insights on ways to execute software projects better.
The AI amnesia problem: why enterprise AI can't learn from its mistakes
A new 2025 MIT study reveals that 95% of enterprise AI investments fail to deliver returns despite $30-40 billion in spending.* The problem isn't poor technology but that most business AI systems can't retain institutional knowledge or adapt to organizational workflows. Think of it like hiring a consultant who takes detailed notes during every meeting but starts each new session by throwing away everything they've learned. The information exists, but the system can't access or build upon it meaningfully.
How intelligent automation is changing the game for enterprises and SMEs
The most tedious, repetitive, and soul-crushing tasks in your business are disappearing. And if you’re not on top of it, competition will outperform you with more efficient operations. Picture this: A large recruitment firm where hundreds of recruiters lose over 25% of their time to administrative busywork. Document creation, data entry, form filling. While competitors that have automated these tasks are out there closing deals and building relationships. The firm has its talented professionals trapped in Microsoft Word templates and spreadsheet hell. It's a silent killer of competitive advantage.
The $2 trillion GovTech opportunity nobody's getting right
The way governments build tech in the next decade will decide whether everyday public services feel instant and effortless or like navigating an endless maze of forms, lines, and phone calls. Think about your last interaction with a government service. Maybe you renewed your driver's license, filed for a permit, or tried to pay a parking ticket online. If you're lucky, it worked. More likely, you encountered a website that looked like it was designed in 2003, crashed halfway through, or forced you to print something, sign it, and mail it in like we're still living in the 90s.
Building ventures IT support: 4 ways to get IT support for your venture
Starting a tech venture when you can't code feels like trying to build a house without knowing how to use a hammer. You have a brilliant idea, but turning it into reality requires technical skills you don't have. The good news? Here are five proven paths to get the IT support you need, each with its own advantages depending on where you are in your journey.