Beta tester check-in
For people trying an early version: how it fits into real use, and what to fix before a wider release.
The conviction read: a quiet beta looks like a happy one. A slow, hedged answer on 'used it for real' often marks testers who signed up and then drifted off, which the list of bug reports never shows on its own.
What's in the template
- I have used it for real, not just to test it. puck
- Bugs have not stopped me getting things done. puck
- I know how to report a problem. puck
- I can see my earlier feedback being acted on. puck
- It already does enough for me to keep using it. puck
- It is ready to go out to everyone. puck
Questions about this template
When in the beta should I send it?
Once testers have had long enough to use it in their normal routine, and again before you decide to widen the release. The second round shows whether your fixes moved the answers.
What if most testers hedge on the last item?
Treat it as a reason to hold the wider release and look at the items they agreed with least. A hedged answer there usually points at the fix that matters to them.