Module revision

Learn the Uniscale process of 'how-to' do module revisions and approving your functional specifications in the solution editor.

This article assumes that you have covered knowledge around Specification and concepts like Solution basics

Introduction to module revisions

A solution consists of modules, each having its own revision and approval flow.

As your product develops, your specification is written through multiple deliveries.

Whether you use agile, waterfall, or other methodologies, this way of creating module revisions will allow you to iteratively build your specification.

Illustration of the module revision cycle.

The four phases of module revisions

Every revision will go through the same flow of initiating;

• Write content: Update, remove, or add new content.

• Ready and Approve: Lock in your new changes.

• New revision: To make a change, create a new revision.

• Unlock content that you want to change.

Lockable cycle

Illustration of the cycle of locking and unlocking content

Your modules, pages, sections, functional use cases, and UX flows are all subject to the locking cycle.

Exploring step by step the process, we have:

• When a new item is created, it has the status of "edited"

• Once all requirements are met, it can now be "marked as ready"

• When the owning module is "Approved", all items are moved to "locked"

• Later, when a new revision is made, all items are still in "locked"

• From here, one can manually "unlock" the items that are intended for changes, and move them to "unlocked"

• If any change is made to a "unlocked" item, it gets automatically moved to the status "edited"

Exploration with conceptual explanation

Items created

In the start you can have the following:

• Content that is locked (marked as locked) - finished content

• Unlocked - edited content

• Untouched or just not locked (marked as edited) - draft content

• And also items in ready

In this state, the content is finished and locked in. By pressing the "Approval" - you are creating your first revision of your solution.

Marked as ready

Further in the process, your work is finished and you aim to wrap things up as you go.

• Items are gradually moved toward a Ready state

Content marked as ready for "locking"

Locked & approved

When all content is approved, all items are locked (in 'Rev 1.0)

From here on, you can start a new revision

Locked content in 'Rev 1.0'.

Unlocking for a new revision

Once a new revision (1.1) is made, that is reflected in the revision number.

When starting a new revision - all content will always start as locked.

Repeat

In your new revision, 'Rev 1.1' you have to manually unlock the content you want to change. Looping the flow to step 1.

How to: Module revisions

When utilising services in your solution, service documentation occurs between content readiness and approval.

Edit an existing module

Select a module

1. Click on the name of your solution in the upper left corner.

2. Select a module.

Illustration of how to select a module

Create a new revision

1. Click on "Start new revision"

2. Give your revision a title

3. Write a short description

4. Select "Start new revision"

Unlock elements

1. Unlock each element that you want to edit

2. You can now edit the content.

Illustration of how to unlock an element.

Approve a new module revision

Ready all at once

When you are done editing your module revision you will begin to approve your new revision.

This option will allow you to manually select multiple items and ready at once.

1. Click on "Ready all"

2. Select desired items.

3. Click "Set all to ready".

Illustration of "Ready all"

Ready individually

1. In the filter bar, navigate to "Unlocked & Edited". This will only show edited content.

2. Go through each item and click on "Mark as ready"

3. Select either "Only item" or "Mark as ready (with children)"

Illustration of "Ready" an item

Approve

With all items marked as ready, you are ready to approve your module revision:

If you are defining services, complete service revisions before approval.

1. Click "Approve"

2. Give your revision a title and description

3. Click "Save and approve revision"

Explore previous revisions

You can look up all previous revisions to compare your content

1. Select a specific module

2. Click on the dropdown and get a list of all revisions

Module revision overview

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Summary of module revision flow

You iteratively define your module's functionality by starting, specifying, and approving revisions in your module. You can use unlocking to align with stakeholders on what is expected to change existing functions. You can also use readying as a way of tracking your progress against completing your revision. Through multiple iterations and gradually adding functionality to your solutions modules the specification will be the single source of truth for all intentions and decisions making your product what it is today. Through the module revision history, you can go back in time and look at all your historical decisions.

Want more of a deep dive? Watch this video and see the module flow process exemplified:

Uniscale Describe: First module revision specification