Release Management Process

The scope of this process is to cover scenarios when new features or changes to existing features are being implemented onto the CrowdComms platform.

All new features follow a design & development process that includes stakeholder feedback on the concept and execution of the UX design, rigorous testing, peer review of code and security review before being planned for release. Progress is managed throughout by the product delivery manager.
During preparation for release, CrowdComms production staff will be trained to support our clients. All customer facing communications and internal training documents will be reviewed as part of the release testing.
The release committee will conduct an impact assessment of the proposed changes and highlight any areas of concern or gaps in documentation.
Once testing and documentation has been completed, the release committee will authorise the release. The new updates will be prepared for release, including scheduling release times to minimise any disruption.
When considering release date and time, the team review upcoming event schedules and expected usage patterns.

An email detailing the changes will be sent to admins who have access to the CrowdComms dashboard (CMS). This is scheduled for two week prior to the release.
In addition a notification banner will be present on the admin CMS highlighting the upcoming changes.
You allocated account manager and / or support manager will contact you regarding any scheduled events that will be able to benefit from the upcoming features to ensure you know how to make the most of them.

Please note, critical updates to ensure smooth operation of the CrowdComms platform will not always follow the above steps.
The above process is followed for any new feature additions or any planned ‘breaking change’ where the user experience on the platform would be modified in any meaningful way.