Uptempo's feature release lifecycle
Introduction
The feature release lifecycle is the process that Uptempo uses for adding new features to the Campaign Management and Financial Management products, and for removing features when they reach the end of their lifespan. It covers:
How we make new features available to Uptempo customers
How we communicate changes in a feature's status during each stage of the lifecycle.
The Uptempo product lifecycle consists of three release stages for new features, and two deprecation stages for retiring features.
This document describes these stages, and what you can expect at each stage.
Release stages
We release new features to the Uptempo platform in the following stages:
All major new features are released into the Preview stage first. Preview features are opt-in.
After two monthly release cycles, features automatically move from the Preview stage to the Generally Available stage (GA). GA features are available by default.
Some new features are released into the Beta stage first. Beta features are available by invitation.
When a Beta feature is ready for a wider rollout, it moves to the Preview stage, and finally to the Generally Available stage as usual.
The following table displays an overview of the release stages:
Order | Release Stage | Definition | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
Stage 0 | Beta | New incomplete features that are still being actively developed based on customer feedback. | Available to selected customers by invitation. |
Stage 1 | Preview | New complete features that are ready to use, but are not yet turned on automatically for all customers. | Available to all customers who opt in. |
Stage 2 | Generally Available | New complete features that are ready to use, and are turned on automatically for all customers. | Available to all customers automatically. |
Stage 0: Beta
What: We release some new features into the Beta stage first. Features in this stage are still being actively developed and may be missing certain functionality, so they are not yet widely available.
Who: We offer Beta features to selected customers, who work with us to provide valuable feedback from real-world usage.
Why: The purpose of the Beta stage is to make sure that we're building features that meet all of our users' needs. Throughout the Beta stage, we use tester feedback to continuously evolve and improve features and make them ready for wider release.
When: The Beta stage does not have a fixed length. A feature may be in this stage for just one monthly release cycle, or for multiple release cycles, depending on user feedback. When features exit the Beta stage, they usually move into the Preview stage next.
- What to expect
Beta features are available to selected customers by invitation. If you are invited to test a Beta feature, you will be in regular contact with the Uptempo Product team to discuss your feedback.
Beta features are stable, but are incomplete and may change significantly during the beta testing period. This means that they are not expected to crash or break, but they might have functionality added or removed at various times as we refine them.
Beta features are not supported in the same way as more mature features:
They usually do not have full documentation, and Uptempo's customer teams are not yet fully equipped to troubleshoot issues with these features.
Throughout the beta testing period, the Product team will be your point of contact to help with setup, and to answer any questions you might have. They can also provide limited troubleshooting support for issues you might encounter.
- How we communicate
We reach out to selected customers directly to invite them to participate in beta tests.
We announce certain Beta features in our Uptempo release notes when we are seeking additional beta test participants. You can identify these features by the Beta tag.
- How to get access
If you are interested in beta testing a feature, please reach out to your Customer Success contact.
Stage 1: Preview
What: We release major new features into the Preview stage. Not all new features are released into this stage: minor enhancements, such as UX/UI and performance improvements, bypass this stage and are released directly into the Generally Available stage.
Who: Features in this stage are available to all customers, but require manual activation before they can be used.
Why: The purpose of this stage is to minimize disruption to our customers. The Preview stage lets you choose exactly when you want to begin using a major new Uptempo feature, and gives you time to plan and prepare to roll it out in your Uptempo environment.
When: The Preview stage has a fixed length. Features released into this stage remain in Preview for two monthly release cycles, after which they are automatically transitioned to the Generally Available stage.
- What to expect
Preview features are available to all customers, but are not enabled automatically. If you want to use a feature in this stage, you must request for it to be turned on in your environment.
Preview features are complete and are not expected to change significantly after release.
Preview features are fully supported: they come with full documentation, and our customer teams are prepared to help you with any issues you might encounter.
Approximately two months after they are released into the Preview stage, new features automatically move to the Generally Available stage. This transition happens on the regular monthly release date (usually the last Wednesday of each month).
Example: If a feature is released into the Preview stage as part of the May release, it will automatically transition to the Generally Available stage on the release date for the July release (the last Wednesday in July).
- How we communicate
We announce Preview features in our monthly Uptempo release notes. You can identify these features by the Preview tag.
When a Beta feature enters the Preview stage, we make another announcement in the release notes.
In some cases, you may also receive notifications about new Preview features, and Preview features that are close to becoming generally available, from your Customer Success contact.
- How to get access
To turn on a Preview feature in your Uptempo environment, please reach out to your Customer Success contact, or to the Uptempo Support team.
Stage 2: Generally Available
What: Features in this stage are automatically turned on in all customer environments. Major features that were previously in the Preview stage are automatically transitioned into the Generally Available (GA) stage after two monthly release cycles. We also release minor enhancements into this stage directly.
Who: Features in this stage are available to all customers, and do not require any action before you can use them.
Why: The purpose of this stage is to make new features available to our entire customer base by default.
When: The GA stage does not have a fixed length. If we need to retire a feature from the Uptempo platform, we transition it to the Deprecation stage. See the section Deprecation Stages for more information about how we retire features.
- What to expect
GA features are available to all customers, and are enabled automatically. If you want to use a feature in this stage, you can begin using it without needing to do anything to enable it first.
GA features are complete and are not expected to change significantly after release. However, we do frequently refine and add new capabilities to most features after they enter this stage.
GA features are fully supported: they come with full documentation, and our customer teams are prepared to help you with any issues you might encounter.
- How we communicate
We announce when features reach GA in our monthly Uptempo release notes. Unlike Beta and Preview features, features released into the GA stage are not marked with a special tag.
When a Preview feature enters the GA stage, we make another announcement in the release notes.
- How to get access
No action is needed: features released into GA are enabled in all customer environments automatically on the monthly release date.
Deprecation stages
From time to time, we must remove features from the Uptempo platform for various reasons. To give you time to prepare and adjust, we retire features in two stages:
Most retiring features enter the Deprecated stage first. This stage acts as the official announcement that we plan to remove this feature from the Uptempo platform.
After the deprecation period (which varies based on the feature), the feature is eventually moved to the Discontinued stage. Entering this stage means the feature has been removed from the Uptempo platform, and can no longer be used in any form.
The following table displays an overview of the deprecation stages:
Order | Release Stage | Definition | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
Stage 1 | Deprecated | Features that are planned to be removed with a future release, but are still available to some users. | Available only to existing users; not available to new users. |
Stage 2 | Discontinued | Features that have been removed from the Uptempo platform. | Not available to any user. |
Stage 1: Deprecated
What: When we decide to remove a feature from the Uptempo platform, we announce this by moving the feature into this stage. In this stage the feature is still available in the product, but is planned to be removed at a future date. Very rarely, some features may bypass this stage and enter the Discontinued stage directly.
Who: Features in this stage only remain available to existing users (customers who previously had access to the feature). Deprecated features are not made available to customers who were onboarded after the feature entered this stage.
Why: The purpose of this stage is to notify current users that we are planning to retire a feature. It is intended to give you time to transition away from using the feature, and move to an alternative (if applicable).
When: The length of this stage is variable, and depends on factors like the size of the feature, the number of affected customers, and the complexity of moving to an alternative. In all cases, we work with affected customers to ensure that they have enough time to adjust to the removal of a feature.
- What to expect
Deprecated features usually remain fully functional throughout the deprecation period, but may in some cases experience degradations in performance or functionality.
Deprecated features do not receive any further updates (except to fix critical security vulnerabilities, if necessary).
Deprecated features receive very limited support, as it may not be possible to fix certain issues if doing so would require an update.
If you did not have access to a feature before it entered this stage, you can no longer enable it in your Uptempo environment.
- How we communicate
We announce when features are deprecated in our monthly Uptempo release notes, in a special Deprecations & Discontinuations subsection.
Because we work with customers to determine timelines, the initial announcement of a deprecation usually does not specify a discontinuation date. After a discontinuation date has been set, we make another announcement in the release notes.
If possible, we suggest an alternative feature or solution to replace the deprecated feature, and provide guidance on how impacted customers can move to it.
- What you should do
When a deprecation is announced, you should take steps to prepare for the removal of the feature as soon as possible.
If a recommended alternative or replacement is available, determine next steps for moving to it. Your Customer Success contact can also assist you with this process.
Stage 2: Discontinued
What: Features in the Deprecated stage eventually move into the Discontinued stage at the end of the deprecation period. In this stage, the feature is completely removed from the product. In rare cases, features that have no active users, or that have to be removed immediately for technical reasons, are discontinued immediately.
Who: Discontinued features are no longer available to any Uptempo user.
Why: The purpose of this stage is to remove functionality from the Uptempo platform, generally for business or technical reasons.
When: Discontinued features are removed from the Uptempo platform permanently (although in some cases, discontinued features may be replaced by newer alternatives).
- What to expect
When a feature enters the Discontinued stage, it becomes immediately unavailable to all Uptempo customers.
We generally remove discontinued features on the monthly product release date (typically the last Wednesday of each month). In some instances, the removal may fall on a different date. In all cases, we make every effort to announce the intended discontinuation date as far in advance as possible.
- How we communicate
We announce when features are discontinued in our monthly Uptempo release notes, in a special Deprecations & Discontinuations subsection.
- What you should do
If you have already stopped using the affected feature, you do not need to take any further action when a feature is discontinued.
If you had not prepared for the discontinuation, reach out to your Customer Success contact or the Uptempo Support team to discuss your next steps.