It's About Phase Change
In keeping with the definition of the term ‘phase change,’ we take chaotic code and turn it into something coherent that actively helps every person in the software development process.
I joined the company because I always wanted to know why it took so long to change code. And Phase Change not only had the answer for why but also a way to make it faster.
Gary Brach - CEO, Phase Change Software
It's about precision, not guessing
LLMs' understanding of code is primarily based on statistical correlations and patterns rather than comprehending the underlying logic or intent of the code. They do not understand the precise meaning and business functionality inherent in the application. It’s the wrong tool for understanding code.
Phase Change's deterministic AI is designed to capture and preserve the underlying meaning and intent of software through precise, multi-level abstractions. No guessing—just the facts.
It’s about understanding
Because our focus is on helping humans understand code, we discuss cognitive science as much as we do computer science. People understand software not as a programming language but conceptually. We phase-changed code into a functionality-equivalent cognitive model that allows humans to understand software at a conceptual level. This is a huge innovation that enables us to leverage the strengths of generative AI in a unique way.
It’s about reducing cognitive load
A developer uses a combination of IDEs, grepping, debuggers, static & dynamic analysis, out-of-date documentation, post-it notes, whiteboard diagrams, and collaborating with teammates to gather information to laboriously build the mental models of what the code does.
COBOL Colleague’s normalized representation replaces the painstaking creation of mental models within a developer’s brain with models. Colleague analyzes the code and understands the conceptual business purpose. Users have precise answers to complex questions in seconds -- not hours or days.
Phase Change's deterministic AI is designed to capture and preserve the underlying meaning and intent of software through precise, multi-level abstractions. No guessing—just the facts.
No wonder studies estimate that between 47% and 70% of coding tasks are spent on understanding code.
It’s about the business value
Code should align with the business objectives it supports. While static and dynamic analysis assist in answering "what" questions about code, they are severely limited in connecting a system to its business purpose.
Software development is not just about writing code; it's about solving problems and creating value.
Grady Booch
COBOL Colleague extracts the business purpose of the application from the actual code and makes it easy to understand, just like your senior developers and analysts.
It’s about reusing knowledge
Phase Change leverages concepts from biology, neuroscience, mathematics, logic, and computer programming to normalize the code into a unique formal representation. Organized in an ontology and stored in a knowledge graph, the data becomes an adaptable source of precise information for applications throughout the enterprise.
See how we normalize code into a knowledge base.
It’s about your entire team
Focusing on the underlying reasons behind the code, rather than the accidental complexity of programming languages, enhances code comprehension for the entire team, including non-COBOL developers. Instead of relying solely on a few experts, all stakeholders can independently access the knowledge they need to perform their jobs. This improves everyone’s efficiency.
One CIO said, “Wow, I never thought I’d see this in my lifetime.
Decoding Relevant Business Knowledge
Starting with source code, our symbolic AI untangles, analyzes, and translates/returns lost and encoded business knowledge.
See how we normalize code into a knowledge base
Learn how we transform COBOL source code into a powerful knowledge base.
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May 28, 2025
What are you looking to accomplish?
Reach out today to request a demo to see COBOL Colleague in action.