I don't know how airlines managements think, but I has always thought
"why don't you just buy a existing working system from other instead of building a new one from a scratch?"
Especially when you know how SAS IT is skilled.

I think this change of booking system is the right direction.
Next steps are,

• SAS buys/leases ANA or Air Canada's *A Award booking tool.
• UA's(AA has similar one) online mileage retro-claim form