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Photography: Robin Kuijs

BRAM VERHEIJ
is a technical product consultant and involved in the TOPdesk beta programme.

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE TOPDESK BETA PROGRAMME

TOPdesk plays an important role within many organizations. It is therefore important that each new version of the software is as good as possible. Each release is preceded by an extensive period of tests and improvements. Thanks to TOPdesks beta programme, our customers are an essential part of this process.

From alpha version to beta version

Every year, TOPdesk releases two new versions with various new features. In 2013, our customers can expect the arrival of versions 5.2 and 5.3 in the second and fourth quarters, respectively. In addition, service packs will be released as maintenance to previous versions. Here at TOPdesk, we put a lot of effort into

the quality of these releases. Each individual part of the software is tested thoroughly during the development process. The functional development ends three months before the planned release; after this point, individual parts of the version can no longer be adjusted. After completing the functional development, the so-called beta phase starts. In this period, the beta version is tested extensively, with the Development department setting aside time to address problems and implement improve-

used to perform further tests. Once the beta version has been in use without any problems for some time, the nal important part of the beta phase starts: the beta programme for customers.

What is the beta programme?

Beta customers are the rst ones to use the new version in their test environment, and sometimes even their production environment. These customers feedback is very important for TOPdesk when completing the nal release, because the beta version is used with various environmental variables. Examples include specic TOPdesk licence combinations, operating systems, database history, and number of end users. TOPdesk is interested in seeing whether beta customers can discover things that are technically, graphically, or functionally not up to par with the quality

TOPDESK BETA VERSIONS ARE STABLE AND PERFORM WELL

Serge Wol

ments. Once the rst tests have been successfully completed, the beta version is installed in TOPdesks own production environment and used intensively by our various departments. Any problems with the software during this period are immediately communicated to the Development department. This input is incorporated in the next beta version, which is then

Text: Bram Verheij

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WE WERE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM NEW FEATURES AND BUG FIXES EARLIER THAN EVER BEFORE
Arno van Turenhout

Arno van Turennout and Serge Wol at BRAIN FORCE

expected of the nal release. The beta programme lasts a number of weeks. If there are no changes to be made, the new version of TOPdesk is made available to all customers. To ensure that this period progresses smoothly, customers who wish to use the beta version in their production environment are assigned a personal contact at TOPdesk Support. They also receive remote support during the beta version installation and the later update to the release version. Customers who wish to use the beta version in their test environment have access to the download and can provide feedback .

and customers four years ago. BRAIN FORCE is a corporate IT service provider that supports organizations in optimizing their IT and cloud infrastructures. Arno van Turennout (IT support and facilities manager) and Serge Wol (rst line support specialist and TOPdesk application manager) were both involved in the beta programme, as Van Turennout explains. We make software, so we know how important it is to have customers take part in the development of new versions. By taking part in the beta programme, we were able to benet from new features and bug xes earlier than ever before . BRAIN FORCE takes a professional approach to implementing the beta version. After the test environment installation, we let several intensive TOPdesk users see if they encountered anything that would hinder their daily tasks, says Wol. We have never run into any-

thing that disrupted our working process, so we could install the beta on our production environment quite quickly. In our experience, TOPdesk beta versions are stable and perform well. Van Turennout continues, Because BRAIN FORCE makes software, we are not surprised by small imperfections in a beta version. In such cases, it is great that TOPdesk Support provides such excellent guidance, or we might not be able to take part in every programme. This gives us the feeling that our input is taken seriously for improving the eventual release. An added bonus from having more frequent contact with TOPdesk Support during the beta programme is that we get tips and ideas about utilizing TOPdesks possibilities.

Beta customer in the spotlight: BRAIN FORCE

BRAIN FORCE has taken part in the TOPdesk beta programme several times since they started using TOPdesk to support colleagues