UI Path Analysis: Identifying the 20% of Features That Handle 80% of Business Logic

Your enterprise modernization project is likely doomed before the first line of code is written. It’s a harsh reality: 70% of legacy rewrites fail or exceed their timelines, often because organizations attempt to move everything at once. In a world where global technical debt has ballooned to $3.6 trillion, the "lift and shift" approach is no longer a viable architectural strategy.

The secret to a successful migration isn't in the coding—it's in the discovery. Most legacy systems are "ghost ships"—massive, monolithic structures where 67% of the systems lack any form of documentation. To navigate this, architects must employ path analysis identifying features that actually drive business value. By focusing on the Pareto Principle—the 20% of features that handle 80% of the business logic—you can compress an 18-month roadmap into a matter of weeks.

TL;DR: Legacy modernization fails when teams try to rebuild 100% of a system that is 80% dead weight. By using path analysis identifying features, architects can isolate high-value workflows. Replay automates this via Visual Reverse Engineering, reducing the time spent per screen from 40 hours to just 4 hours, ensuring a documented, React-based future for even the most complex regulated systems.

The "Ghost Screen" Problem in Legacy Systems#

According to Replay's analysis of over 500 enterprise modernization sessions, the average legacy application contains thousands of "dead" paths—UI elements that trigger logic no longer used by the business, or edge cases that haven't been touched since the Clinton administration.

When you manually audit these systems, you spend an average of 40 hours per screen just to understand the state management and API calls. This is where path analysis identifying features becomes critical. Without it, you are essentially paying developers to rewrite technical debt in a newer language.

UI Path Analysis is the systematic mapping of user interactions to underlying business logic to identify high-value workflows.

Using Path Analysis Identifying Features to Prioritize Migration#

To move fast, you must be ruthless. Path analysis isn't just about heatmaps; it’s about tracing the "golden path" of a transaction. For a claims processor in an insurance firm, the golden path might be the 12 screens required to intake a new claim. The other 150 screens in the app—settings, legacy reporting modules, and defunct third-party integrations—are noise.

Industry experts recommend a "Value-to-Complexity" mapping during the discovery phase. However, doing this manually is what leads to the 18-month average enterprise rewrite timeline.

Manual vs. Automated Path Analysis#

By utilizing Replay, teams can record real user workflows. The platform then performs the heavy lifting of path analysis identifying features by deconstructing the video recording into a documented component library and state machine.

The Mechanics of Visual Reverse Engineering#

Video-to-code is the process of converting screen recordings into functional, documented React components by analyzing visual changes and network patterns.

When we talk about path analysis identifying features, we are looking for the intersection of user intent (UI interaction) and system response (Data mutation). Replay’s AI Automation Suite watches a user perform a task—like approving a mortgage—and extracts the "Blueprint" of that interaction.

Translating Legacy Logic to Modern TypeScript#

Once the paths are identified, the next step is extraction. In a traditional setting, a developer would sit with a Subject Matter Expert (SME), take notes, and then try to recreate the logic in React. With Replay, the "Flows" feature maps the architecture automatically.

Below is an example of how a complex, multi-step legacy form identified through path analysis is converted into a structured React component with clean state management:

typescript
// Generated by Replay AI Automation Suite
// Source: Legacy Claims Portal - Path: /claims/new/step-2
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { Button, TextField, Select } from '@/components/design-system';

interface ClaimFormProps {
  initialData: any;
  onNext: (data: any) => void;
}

export const ClaimIntakeStep: React.FC<ClaimFormProps> = ({ initialData, onNext }) => {
  const [formData, setFormData] = useState(initialData);
  const [validationState, setValidationState] = useState({ isValid: false, errors: [] });

  // Path Analysis identified this business logic from the legacy 'validate_v2' function
  const validateBusinessRules = (data: any) => {
    const errors = [];
    if (data.amount > 50000 && !data.supervisorId) {
      errors.push("High-value claims require supervisor authorization.");
    }
    return errors;
  };

  const handleChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
    const updated = { ...formData, [e.target.name]: e.target.value };
    setFormData(updated);
    const errors = validateBusinessRules(updated);
    setValidationState({ isValid: errors.length === 0, errors });
  };

  return (
    <div className="p-6 bg-white rounded-lg shadow-md">
      <h2 className="text-xl font-bold mb-4">Claim Details</h2>
      <TextField 
        label="Claim Amount" 
        name="amount" 
        value={formData.amount} 
        onChange={handleChange} 
      />
      {validationState.errors.map(err => (
        <p key={err} className="text-red-500 text-sm mt-1">{err}</p>
      ))}
      <Button 
        disabled={!validationState.isValid} 
        onClick={() => onNext(formData)}
        className="mt-4"
      >
        Continue to Documentation
      </Button>
    </div>
  );
};

This component isn't just a UI clone; it’s the result of path analysis identifying features that are critical to the business rule engine. You can read more about how this works in our guide on Visual Reverse Engineering.

Scaling Path Analysis Identifying Features in Regulated Industries#

In sectors like Healthcare, Finance, and Government, you cannot afford to "guess" which features are important. The risk of missing a compliance check or a regulatory validation rule is too high. This is why manual path analysis often stalls—the fear of the unknown.

According to Replay's analysis, regulated firms spend 50% more time on the "Discovery" phase than tech companies. They are paralyzed by the lack of documentation. By using a platform that is SOC2 and HIPAA-ready, these organizations can record their compliant workflows and generate code that adheres to their internal Design System.

Component Library refers to a centralized repository of reusable UI elements that ensure visual and functional consistency across a modernized application.

Implementing the 80/20 Rule with Replay#

1. •Record the "Golden Paths": Have your power users record their daily workflows using Replay.
2. •Analyze the Flows: Use Replay’s "Flows" view to see the architectural map. The path analysis identifying features will highlight which components are reused across multiple business processes.
3. •Export the Library: Convert the identified UI patterns into a clean, reusable Design System.
4. •Iterate in the Blueprint Editor: Fine-tune the logic and data mapping before pushing to your repository.

This methodology shifts the focus from "How do we move everything?" to "What is the minimum viable set of features required to decommission the legacy server?"

For more on managing complex state transitions during this process, check out our article on Legacy State Management.

The Technical Debt Tax: Why You Can't Wait#

Every day you delay modernization, the technical debt tax increases. In a legacy environment, adding a single feature can take weeks because of the "spaghetti" nature of the code. By performing path analysis identifying features, you are essentially performing a surgical strike on your technical debt.

Instead of an 18-month overhaul, you can deliver a modernized "core" in 3 months. This core handles the 80% of business logic that actually generates revenue or fulfills your mission. The remaining 20% can be retired or migrated as needed.

Architecting for the Future#

When you use Replay for your path analysis, the output isn't just code—it's a documented architecture. Most legacy systems are black boxes. Modernized systems should be glass boxes.

typescript
// Example of a Flow-based Architecture Mapping
// This identifies the business logic path for 'User Onboarding'
export const OnboardingFlow = {
  id: "flow_9921_onboarding",
  name: "Customer Onboarding",
  steps: [
    { id: "s1", component: "IdentityVerification", logic: "KYC_Check" },
    { id: "s2", component: "AccountSelection", logic: "Product_Eligibility" },
    { id: "s3", component: "TermsAcceptance", logic: "Legal_Compliance_V4" }
  ],
  dataConnectors: {
    legacySource: "SOAP_Service_CustomerDB",
    modernTarget: "GraphQL_UserAPI"
  }
};

This level of clarity is only possible when you start with the visual reality of how the system is used. Modernizing without rewriting from scratch is no longer a pipe dream—it's a requirement for the modern enterprise.

Frequently Asked Questions#

How do you identify the 20% of features that matter?#

We use a combination of usage frequency (how often a screen is accessed) and business criticality (the value of the transaction handled on that screen). Replay automates this by recording actual user sessions and mapping the underlying API calls to identify high-density logic paths.

Can path analysis identifying features work with mainframe or terminal-based systems?#

Yes. Visual Reverse Engineering doesn't care about the underlying stack. Whether it's a 30-year-old COBOL-backed green screen or a Flash-based web app, Replay records the visual output and user interactions to reconstruct the logic in modern React.

Is the code generated by Replay maintainable?#

Absolutely. Unlike "low-code" platforms that lock you into a proprietary engine, Replay generates standard TypeScript and React code that follows your specific Design System and coding standards. It is built to be owned by your internal engineering team.

How does Replay handle security in regulated environments?#

Replay is built for the enterprise. We offer SOC2 compliance, HIPAA-readiness, and the ability to deploy On-Premise. This ensures that sensitive data captured during the path analysis phase never leaves your secure perimeter.

What is the average time savings compared to manual documentation?#

On average, Replay reduces the time required for discovery and component documentation by 70%. What typically takes a team of senior developers 40 hours per screen can be accomplished in approximately 4 hours through automated visual analysis.

Ready to modernize without rewriting? Book a pilot with Replay