{"id":163963,"date":"2026-06-09T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/?p=163963"},"modified":"2026-06-08T15:46:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T13:46:35","slug":"wrong-question-greenfield-or-brownfield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/falsche-frage-greenfield-oder-brownfield\/","title":{"rendered":"Wrong question: greenfield or brownfield"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The decision between a greenfield and brownfield approach is considered a strategic milestone in many companies. However, according to the latest \u201eTransformation Study 2026\u201c by data transformation specialist Natuvion and NTT Data Business Solutions, it is often the first planning error in a migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>Flexible migration strategies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is because many companies still assume that transformation projects can be fully planned from the outset. The reality is different: Strategies often change fundamentally during the course of a migration. According to the study, 71 percent of companies adapt their migration approach while the project is still ongoing. What's more, major transformations are marathon projects. The study shows that 44 percent of large-scale IT transformations in the USA take between one and two years. During this time, business models, regulatory requirements, data landscapes and internal priorities are constantly changing. If the original plan becomes obsolete as a result, a rigid strategy quickly becomes a risk. Nevertheless, many companies start with a binary fundamental decision. In the USA, 17% of companies opted for a greenfield approach - i.e. a complete restart - while 39% opted for brownfield or \u201elift and shift\u201c. Worldwide, the figures are 20 percent for greenfield and 34 percent for brownfield.<\/p><div id=\"great-1844696506\" class=\"great-fullsize-content-en great-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\"><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3sfeY6CxpaQ\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"banner_26_06_24_1200x150\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-400x50.jpg 400w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-768x96.jpg 768w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-100x13.jpg 100w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-480x60.jpg 480w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-640x80.jpg 640w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-720x90.jpg 720w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-960x120.jpg 960w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-1168x146.jpg 1168w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-18x2.jpg 18w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_06_24_1200x150-600x75.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" width=\"1200\" height=\"150\"  style=\" max-width: 100%; height: auto;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the study, what looks like clarity at the start of a project often turns out to be deceptive security. This is because neither greenfield nor brownfield are inherently designed to react flexibly to new requirements - for example, if missing data, complex legacy systems or additional compliance requirements suddenly emerge months later. \u201eIf a strategy is too rigid to adapt, it falls apart. The consequences are delayed schedules, exploding budgets and slowed innovations. Failure is then not due to poor implementation, but to an initial decision that is too rigid and does not meet the dynamic requirements of modern companies,\u201c says Joanne Lang, CEO of Natuvion Americas. The decisive factor for the success of a transformation is therefore not the original plan, but the ability to adapt it without having to restart. This is precisely where the \u201eSelective Data Transition\u201c approach comes into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/natuvion_transformation_chart_web-1.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-163970\" style=\"width:1000px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>How much time was originally planned for the transformation (preparation, implementation and follow-up)?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>Lift and shift with precision<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If there is a lack of flexibility, the risk already arises at the start of the project. A greenfield approach must also ensure that existing data and processes can be subsequently integrated at any time as soon as they become relevant. Conversely, a brownfield or lift-and-shift approach requires maximum precision so that data can be excluded or restructured without jeopardizing the core systems. (Source: Natuvion)<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new study shows why the \u201egreenfield vs. brownfield\u201c debate is the biggest planning mistake in modern data migrations. The biggest risk is not choosing the wrong starting point, but a path that cannot be changed later.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2368,"featured_media":163964,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,44463],"tags":[12853,73,12854,369,833,517,236],"coauthors":[39720],"class_list":["post-163963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-it-management","category-mag-26-06","tag-brownfield","tag-erp","tag-greenfield","tag-it","tag-migration","tag-s4","tag-sap","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-400x180.jpg",400,180,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-768x346.jpg",768,346,true],"large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"image-100":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-100x45.jpg",100,45,true],"image-480":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-480x216.jpg",480,216,true],"image-640":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-640x288.jpg",640,288,true],"image-720":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-720x324.jpg",720,324,true],"image-960":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-960x432.jpg",960,432,true],"image-1168":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"image-1440":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"image-1920":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-18x8.jpg",18,8,true],"bricks_large_16x9":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"bricks_large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"bricks_large_square":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion.jpg",1000,450,false],"bricks_medium":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-600x270.jpg",600,270,true],"bricks_medium_square":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-600x450.jpg",600,450,true],"profile_24":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-24x24.jpg",24,24,true],"profile_48":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-48x48.jpg",48,48,true],"profile_96":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-96x96.jpg",96,96,true],"profile_150":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"profile_300":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2606_it_natuvion-300x300.jpg",300,300,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"<p>Eine neue Studie zeigt, warum die Debatte \u201eGreenfield vs. Brownfield\u201c der gr\u00f6\u00dfte Planungsfehler bei modernen Datenmigrationen ist. Das gr\u00f6\u00dfte Risiko besteht nicht darin, den falschen Ausgangspunkt zu w\u00e4hlen, sondern einen Weg, der sich sp\u00e4ter nicht mehr \u00e4ndern l\u00e4sst.<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"<a href=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/category\/it-management\/\" rel=\"category tag\">IT-Management<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/category\/mag-26-06\/\" rel=\"category tag\">MAG 26-06<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"E3 Magazine","url":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/author\/e3_magazin\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2368"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=163963"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":163971,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163963\/revisions\/163971"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/163964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=163963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=163963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=163963"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=163963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}