Beyond Like-for-Like: A User-centered Approach to Modernizing Legacy Applications

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Polzin, M., Guzman, M.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Polzin, M.
Guzman, M.
author_facet Polzin, M.
Guzman, M.
contents When modernizing a legacy application, it is easy to fall back on a like-for-like replica with new tools and updated design stylings, but this is an opportunity to explore making a more intuitive application that supports user tasks and efficiency. Rather than having a blank canvas-unburdened by legacy tech debt-to create a new application, you are working with an existing application that is integral to accelerator operations and one that expert users are already familiar with. Due to this, you might assume people will prefer the like-for-like, but you could be carrying forward the pain points, processes that are inefficient, and ultimately wind up with an application that no one wants to use because it doesn't solve existing problems. Getting users involved can make all the difference in your approach to modernizing a legacy application that caters to both newer and expert users. It also can bridge the gap between like-for-like and introducing new GUI design. Having a legacy application doesn't have to make the modernized one difficult to develop, as the existing application is a tool in how you move forward with the new application. It provides insight into areas that an application with a clean slate doesn't give you.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_21956
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Beyond Like-for-Like: A User-centered Approach to Modernizing Legacy Applications
Polzin, M.
Guzman, M.
Software Engineering
Accelerator Physics
When modernizing a legacy application, it is easy to fall back on a like-for-like replica with new tools and updated design stylings, but this is an opportunity to explore making a more intuitive application that supports user tasks and efficiency. Rather than having a blank canvas-unburdened by legacy tech debt-to create a new application, you are working with an existing application that is integral to accelerator operations and one that expert users are already familiar with. Due to this, you might assume people will prefer the like-for-like, but you could be carrying forward the pain points, processes that are inefficient, and ultimately wind up with an application that no one wants to use because it doesn't solve existing problems. Getting users involved can make all the difference in your approach to modernizing a legacy application that caters to both newer and expert users. It also can bridge the gap between like-for-like and introducing new GUI design. Having a legacy application doesn't have to make the modernized one difficult to develop, as the existing application is a tool in how you move forward with the new application. It provides insight into areas that an application with a clean slate doesn't give you.
title Beyond Like-for-Like: A User-centered Approach to Modernizing Legacy Applications
topic Software Engineering
Accelerator Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.21956