Testing is a critical step before launching your Issuetrak Portal. It ensures that the system functions smoothly and meets your organization's needs. As users transition to new software, they may face challenges adapting to the new processes. Effective testing helps ensure that your team embraces Issuetrak and recognizes its advantages over the existing system.
This document outlines the essential steps required for a successful go-live of Issuetrak, focusing on thorough testing to guarantee a smooth and seamless rollout.
Involving Others in Testing
Engaging other users from your team in the testing process is an effective way to identify issues that may have been overlooked. Users in different roles can offer valuable feedback, helping to pinpoint areas that need improvement. This approach simulates "real-world" usage, providing insights into the overall usability and value of Issuetrak. Their perspectives are essential for ensuring the system meets the needs of all users.
User Role Testing
Not all users in Issuetrak experience the site in the same way so we must ensure that all user roles are tested to ensure that visibility controls and permissions are configured correctly. User permissions and controls are controlled mostly by group memberships and user type. Other controls, implemented via Organization and Department, along with System Settings, also need to be verified. Test users for each role need to be created so that you can log in as a user of each role and test their experience in the Portal. These users can then be inactivated before going live.
- End Users - End Users are the most basic type of user in the system and typically make up the majority of issue submitters. These users primarily log in to submit new issues or check the status of their existing issues.
- Elevated End Users - These users have been given additional permissions beyond those of a basic end user. Examples of these users are managers, supervisors, department team members, and other users that need tasks assigned to them.
- Agents - These users are responsible for handling the issues. While managing the issues, they are responding by updating issues with notes, monitoring issues for responses from submitters, and making sure the issue is worked to resolution. If permitted, agents also can submit on behalf of other users and access the administration menus.
Email Testing
Email plays a major factor in the Issuetrak functionality, so testing communication in and out of the site is essential before going live. Many of your users may only submit issues through email, and receive back automated email messages which they can reply to. Ensuring that your email communications are clear and concise is one of the most important configurations of the system.
- Custom Messages - Communication in your automated email messaging needs to be tailored so that information is understandable and communicates well with users. This allows your users to know exactly what is happening with their issues, and identifies the user who is responsible for the next action.
- Issue Default Notifications for Standard User Roles - Verify that the user roles are configured to receive the desired automated email notifications.
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Subscriptions - Review any subscriptions to ensure that unwanted mail is not sent out.
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Incoming Email Settings - Send test emails to each incoming mailbox. Make sure that issues are created. Reply to the email notifications sent from the site and verify that they are correctly processed into their associated issues. Check the Default Issue Type for each mailbox and review all other settings.
Submission and Life Cycle Testing
Testing the process of an issue from submission to closure ensures that there are no surprises after the go-live date. Completing every step of the configured processes several times is necessary.
- Submit Issue - Submitters need to find the submissions process simple and easy to understand so that the information you need from them can be gathered.
- Add Note - Adding notes to issues is the way to communicate back and forth with all involved in the issue. When a note is added to an issue, automations can take place, such as automated email messages and substatus rules. Private notes should only be visible by designated users. Quick Notes can be used by agents to easily add messaging that is used often and is uniform.
- Edit Issue - Make changes to issues as needed, and review the triage process and information gathering steps.
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Email Issue - Practice using the Email Issue feature to send copies of issues via email. Test adding attachments to the emails and including a note in the issue to indicate the feature was used.
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Tasks - Step through each task flow to ensure that the processes match intended functionality and are consistent. The best way to do this is on the Submit Issue screen without actually submitting an issue. This approach reduces the number of clicks required to test the tasks and prevents unwanted email notifications from being sent.
- Close Issue - Close several issues and review the closed issues to ensure that all required information is in those issues.
