Map the connections
Applications rarely operate alone. Document the users, interfaces, data flows and operational dependencies that a change could affect.
Choose a manageable starting point
Select a workload with a clear business purpose and a scope that can be tested. Establish an owner, expected outcomes and a way to reverse the change if necessary.
Design for operations
Deployment is one part of the work. Include access management, monitoring, support responsibilities and recovery procedures in the plan.
Review before expanding
Compare the outcome with the original baseline. Use what the team learns to revise priorities and guide the next increment of modernization.