Beta
What is Beta?
The goal of Beta is to build a working version of the service that works for a large group of users. The prototypes that were developed and tested during Alpha are used to build a minimum viable product in a live, user-facing environment.
What do you do in Beta?
In Beta you will work in an agile approach to build quickly and in small segments, taking the time to confirm that each segment of the service is on the right track. Launching a public service is the ultimate usability test, as it collects real data and user feedback. Feedback is used to refine the service, adding and adjusting features until the service is complete.
In Beta:
- make a prioritized list of the user stories that have already been researched
- build a minimum viable product that can be used by the public in a live environment
- continuously test the service with users to collect feedback and discover helpful insights
- test the design for accessibility and use assistive devices like screen readers
- use analytics to track and measure the service against key performance indicators
- resolve any remaining technical or process-related challenges
- update any required policies to support the service
Staffing the team
TBD
What do you have at the end of Beta?
By the end of beta, expect to have:
- a fully functional version of the service for public use that adequately meets user needs
- completed the backlog of features for the service
- evidence that your service meets government accessibility requirements for WCAG AA 2.0
Before going Live
Your service is ready to go Live when you are sure:
- the service meets the user needs you found in your Discovery, Alpha and Beta phases and delivers an end-to-end journey.
- you’re securing the service’s information and data collection
- you’ve set up your analytics to accurately measure the success of your service
- the service meets government accessibility requirements
- you’ve completed a Privacy Impact Assessment for the service
- you’ve completed a Security Threat and Risk Assessment for the service
- you can support the service and you’ll be able to keep iterating it and improving it until it’s retired