Phase 1: Gather Inputs
The first step is to collect the three mandatory input types that feed every subsequent phase. All three are required — omitting any one will result in an incomplete analysis.
Input Types
1. Screenshots
Stakeholders provide UI screenshots of the legacy application. These should cover all screens and key states, including error screens, confirmation dialogs, and admin views. Place all screenshots in the screenshots/ directory.
Supported formats: PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, BMP, or WebP.
2. Source Code
Stakeholders provide access to the codebase. The plugin currently supports .NET applications (.sln, .vbproj, .csproj, .vb, .cs, .aspx, .ascx, .config, .sql, .sqlproj, etc.) but the overall process applies to any technology stack — plugin extension is needed for other languages. Place all source code in the src/ directory.
3. Transcripts
Recorded stakeholder interviews are auto-transcribed to plain text (.txt). Transcripts must be purged of all personally identifiable information (PII) before processing. Place all transcript files in the transcripts/ directory.
Format Requirements
| Input | Formats | Directory | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screenshots | .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .bmp, .webp | screenshots/ |
Application stakeholders |
| Source code | .sln, .vbproj, .csproj, .vb, .cs, .aspx, .sql, etc. | src/ |
Application stakeholders |
| Transcripts | .txt (PII-free) | transcripts/ |
Delivery team (from recorded interviews) |
Tips for Gathering Good Inputs
Screenshots
- Capture every screen, including error states and admin views.
- Walk through the application systematically — do not rely on memory to identify screens.
- Include different user roles if the application has role-based views.
- Capture both populated and empty states where relevant.
Source Code
- Include the complete solution — partial code leads to incomplete analysis.
- Ensure database projects, SQL scripts, and configuration files are included alongside application code.
- If the codebase spans multiple repositories, consolidate them under
src/.
Transcripts
- Record walkthroughs where users demonstrate the application, not just abstract discussions.
- Ask stakeholders to narrate what they are doing and why as they step through workflows.
- Ensure all PII is removed from transcripts before placing them in the
transcripts/directory. - Separate recordings by topic or user role for clearer curation downstream.
