Walking through software: a physical approach to platform modernization
Mapping a decade of software evolution into a modern platform.
Every feature in legacy software tells a story. To uncover them all, we transformed our office into a walkable user story map, taking a step-by-step journey through a decade of platform evolution.
Context
A service and operations management platform had served the company and its clients for years, managing critical operations. At its core, the system digitalized internal operations with the goal of reducing paper usage, minimizing phone calls, and maximizing staff efficiency to enable focus on service quality.
However, as technology advanced and user expectations evolved, it became evident that the system needed a modern rebuild to stay competitive and efficient.
As a full-stack developer who had recently joined the team, I brought fresh eyes to the legacy system. When the COO needed to understand the platform’s full functionality for modernization planning, I proposed using physical story mapping—a UX technique I’d been learning—to create a comprehensive, walkable inventory of the system.
In about a week’s time, we systematically mapped the entire platform, identifying and documenting every feature, workflow, and integration point.
Challenges
- Complex system understanding: the legacy platform had evolved organically over the years, making it challenging to get a complete overview of all functionalities.
- Multiple user types: different user types had distinct needs and workflows, yet they had to seamlessly collaborate to deliver an exceptional guest experience.
- Feature prioritization: identifying which features were critical for the MVP and which could be deferred to future releases.
- System dependencies: mapping and understanding the platform’s interactions with external systems and third-party services.
- Knowledge transfer: safeguarding critical functionality to ensure nothing was overlooked during the transition.
Approach
Visual story mapping
- Transformed the office walls into a physical user story map.
- Used post-it notes to represent each feature and functionality.
User-centric organization
- Grouped features by user type to understand distinct needs.
- Identified global features that impacted all user types.
- Emphasized interactions between different departments and user types.
Prioritization framework
- Categorized features into “MVP critical” and “Future development” for clear focus.
- Mapped external system dependencies to ensure integration was considered.
- Highlighted critical integration points to prioritize based on impact.
Key insights
Real-time operations are critical
- Real-time information flow emerged as a fundamental need across all roles.
- The digital platform’s key advantage over traditional methods was its ability to provide immediate status updates.
- Users rely on live data to make operational decisions.
Interconnected workflow model
- Story mapping revealed how the work of each department directly impacts others.
- There is a clear need for seamless information flow between different user types.
- Every department plays an equally important role in the guest experience.
- The system design must support collaborative workflows rather than siloed operations.
Internal user complexity
- Our internal system’s support role proved more crucial than initially assumed.
- Significant platform configuration and setup requirements emerged during the mapping process.
- Training and support needs must be factored into the UX design to ensure usability.
Cross-role dependencies
- Housekeeping status impacts reception’s room availability information.
- Maintenance issues influence housekeeping workflows.
- Guest preferences inform multiple departments and multiple service touchpoints.
Outcomes
Strategic decision support
- Created a comprehensive visual inventory of legacy platform’s functionality.
- Enabled data-driven MVP decisions based on feature usage and client needs.
- Served as a reference point for discussions with the development team.
- Provided clear documentation to guide feature prioritization debates.
Stakeholder engagement & understanding
- Transformed abstract software functionality into a tangible, walkable experience.
- Facilitated “tours” of the platform’s operational paths for staff, board members, and stakeholders.
- Demonstrated the platform’s evolution and increasing complexity over nearly 10 years.
- Visualized interconnections between internal processes and external systems.
Foundation for future work
- Informed development of UX personas by providing deep operational context.
- Created lasting documentation of user workflows and system requirements.
- Established a shared understanding of the platform’s scope across the organization.
The visual storytelling approach proved particularly effective in helping stakeholders “step inside” the software, leading to more informed discussions about the modernization project’s scope and priorities.
Reflections
Personal growth & discovery
- The immersive storytelling approach provided deep insights into both software functionality and user workflows, which was particularly useful as a relatively new team member.
- This exercise highlighted my natural affinity for UX work over traditional development, helping guide my career evolution.
- I discovered the power of physical visualization in uncovering forgotten or overlooked functionality.
Methodology insights
- Free-form storytelling, combined with periodic software verification, proved to be an effective method for comprehensive system mapping.
- Documentation could have been more thorough, especially in visually capturing the process and outcomes.
- Transforming a physical space created an engaging way to “walk through” user stories and workflows.
Critical business lessons
Gaining a thorough understanding of feature usage and value from the client’s perspective is essential. What may seem like a “minor” feature internally can be business-critical for users.