Author:  lovaquero  Posted:  May 8, 2014 11:16  Subject:  Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes  Viewed:  276 times  Topic:  Suggestions  Status: Already Exists Cancel Reply

BrickLink ID Card lovaquero (2128) Location:  USA, Indiana Member Since Contact Type Status Jan 29, 2009 Seller  Store: Lo's Parts & Pieces

SUGGESTION: BL development team needs to implement a validation process to validate any changes made to BL prior to live roleout. This should include the use of personas, a focus test team, and potential involvement of community members. This is common industry practice for any software development team, and is needed if BL is operating in a Scrum/Agile development fashion (which appears to be the case). -------------------------------------- I REALLY like how BL is finally starting to implement some of the suggestions from the BL community. Many of these changes are positive, and I commend BL for starting to take action to improve the website. Having said that, too many of the changes are seemingly being implemented without any sort of validation or consideration to what the impact will be. It is like the developers working on the site have no process to prove-out the changes prior making those changes live. Case In Point: A new 'color' box was added to order line-items to help with color-picked parts. This was implemented in HTML as a 'background' color. On-screen this looks good, but to print you must enable background printing. This, in turn, caused the entire page to print, which was too much. So BL removed all background color, made the order page completely white (even overriding default browser settings) and added a thick black border around the order. Problems with this: (1) To print the color boxes one still needs to change print settings specific to BL. Then change back the settings for other websites. (2) If you DO print orders, you now have roughly doubled your black ink comsumption due to the unneeded black border (3) If you DO NOT print orders, you are blinded by the glaring order page. This is bad for your eyes and bad for your monoitor. (4) You cannot override the layout/color scheme due to webpage implementation All of these problems should have been identified and addresses prior to the constant changes being implemented. A proper validation process would have identified the root problem (i.e. how the color boxes were implemented) and created a solution to fix the root problem rather then its symptoms (i.e. unable to print the color boxes). This would have resulted in the issue being identified and corrected (i.e. implement the boxes differently) before the new feature was mode live on the website.

Message Has 11 Replies:

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - enig (6342)

[...] I have not picked any orders today so had little idea what are you on about. But now I have just checked how the order page looks like... HOOOOLY COW I hope they are [...] (122 months ago, May 8, 2014, to Suggestions)

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - Miffy. (1034)

And at the very least - announce changes BEFORE they occur. Right now, it seems like the changes are implemented then they wait for us to find them. Then a week or so later the [...] (122 months ago, May 8, 2014, to Suggestions)

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - DagsBricks (913)

(URL) (122 months ago, May 8, 2014, to Suggestions)

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - QCBricks (13609)

[...] Voted Yes. As I have said many, many times...it is a complete shame that BL is not taking advantage of the great resources they have in terms of passionate buyers and [...] (122 months ago, May 8, 2014, to Suggestions)

(Cancelled) - steekstra (4360)

(Cancelled) (122 months ago, May 8, 2014, to Suggestions)

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - Teup (6606)

[...] Aye. Very well put. Thanks for writing this :) (122 months ago, May 8, 2014, to Suggestions)

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - MYLEGOBRICKS (3020)

[...] VOTED YES ALL THE WAY.. I LIKED THE OLD WAY MUCH BETTER .. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE BLINDING WHITE BACKGROUND ON THE SIDES AND GET RID OF THE BOX FRAME ON ORDERS [...] (122 months ago, May 8, 2014, to Suggestions)

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - bb469871 (0)

I wanted to let you know that I forwarded this suggestion on for consideration. Thanks Amanda CS Team (122 months ago, May 8, 2014, to Suggestions)

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - RansomBricks (1437)

My wife and I agree that more caution is needed when implementing changes like what was done to the order screen. We're frustrated with the new format and it seems terribly [...] (122 months ago, May 9, 2014, to Suggestions)

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - BLUSER_308272 (2054)

Hello, I'm not lucky of the new style of the order page. I'm printing the orders and now I need more paper ... and last but not least also more ink. And I don't like [...] (122 months ago, May 9, 2014, to Suggestions)

Re: Implement a Validation Team for BL Changes - Pokernut (1005)

[...] Great points. A question I have that may have already been answered is...Why was the little color box next to each item decription deemed necessary on the order page? [...] (122 months ago, May 9, 2014, to Suggestions)

25 Messages in this Thread:

 Msg 1 « - lovaquero (2128) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 2 - enig (6342) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 3 - Miffy. (1034) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 4 - DagsBricks (913) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 5 - graphite37 (2639) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 6 - QCBricks (13609) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 7 - steekstra (4360) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 8 - Teup (6606) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 9 - MYLEGOBRICKS (3020) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 10 - enig (6342) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 11 - Teup (6606) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 12 - enig (6342) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 13 - bb469871 (0) 122 months ago May 8, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 14 - lovaquero (2128) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 15 - Munich_Bricks (14784) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 16 - bb469871 (0) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 17 - RansomBricks (1437) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 18 - BLUSER_308272 (2054) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 19 - ToriHada (8887) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 20 - Andy_Bell (2366) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 21 - picabo (2037) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 22 - Pokernut (1005) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 23 - jennnifer (3535) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 24 - mnementh (23241) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions
 Msg 25 - Pokernut (1005) 122 months ago May 9, 2014 to Suggestions