Primary speaker:
Ninu Varghese, Manager, SIS Products & Applications, Student Information Systems, ITS
Secondary speakers:
Hossein Aliabadi, Sr. Java Developer, Student Information Systems, ITS
Petru Sugar, Sr. Java Developer, Student Information Systems, ITS
Prudhvi Nallamanikaluva, Sr. Angular Developer, Student Information Systems, ITS
Aishwarya Chandrasekar, Full Stack Developer, Student Information Systems, ITS
Abhirup Dutta, Full Stack Developer, Student Information Systems, ITS
Harish Nakkanaboina, Sr. Angular Developer, Student Information Systems, ITS
Description:
Modernizing enterprise applications in a postsecondary environment requires more than a framework upgrade — it demands a strategic balance between innovation, operational stability and institutional responsibility. This session shares our experience modernizing a Java backend and AngularJS front-end application to a modern Angular architecture, while establishing reusable component libraries designed for adoption across the university.
Our modernization effort addressed two competing priorities: maintaining uninterrupted service for current users while enabling parallel development of modernized code. To achieve this, we implemented a dual-track strategy. Production systems remained stable and supported, while modernization work progressed in isolated development environments using separate servers, dedicated CI/CD pipelines and repository branches specifically structured for refactoring and migration. This separation allowed innovation without compromising reliability or user trust.
A key pillar of the initiative was the creation of sharable, standards-based Angular component libraries. These reusable UI components promote accessibility (AODA) compliance, design consistency, performance optimization and development efficiency across teams. By standardizing patterns and enforcing architectural guardrails, we reduced duplication, improved maintainability and accelerated future application development.
We will discuss challenges encountered, including dependency management, legacy code constraints, user adoption risks and maintaining backward compatibility. The session will also highlight success stories — improved deployment velocity, enhanced user experience, measurable performance gains and reduced technical debt.
Finally, we will outline the tools and methods that enabled progress. AI-assisted development supported code refactoring, test generation, SQL query optimization, documentation drafting and release note creation, while maintaining human-in-the-loop governance. Combined with automated testing, structured code reviews and security scanning, these practices ensured modernization aligned with ethics, security, efficiency, standardization and performance expectations within a complex higher education environment.
This presentation offers a practical blueprint for sustainable, responsible modernization at scale.
