A release checklist that goes beyond “it works”
A feature that works on a developer's machine is the start of a release, not the end of one.
"It works" is the first box on the list. Customers, support and the business need a few more before a change is truly ready to go out.
Before the release
- Automated tests pass, including the journeys this change touches indirectly.
- Someone other than the author has reviewed the code and tried the feature.
- Data changes have a way back if something goes wrong.
Around the release
- Support knows what is changing and what customers might ask.
- Release notes say what changed in words a customer would use.
- The team knows who is watching the release and for how long.
After the release
- Errors and performance are checked against the usual levels.
- The signal the change was meant to move is noted, so it can be measured later.
- Anything learned goes back into the checklist.
None of this needs a big process. A short, shared list catches most surprises, and it gets better every time it is used.
Written by the OneSyntax team
