Copy Button Component Review: MOJ Frontend Submission

In the ever-evolving world of web development, ensuring a consistent and user-friendly experience is paramount, especially within governmental digital services. Today, we're taking an in-depth look at the review process for an experimental component submission to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) frontend: the Copy Button. This article will guide you through the meticulous steps involved in evaluating such a component, from initial review to final release, highlighting the collaborative effort required to maintain high standards.

1. Initial Review: Setting the Stage for Success

The initial review phase is crucial for setting the foundation of a successful component integration. This phase involves a multi-faceted approach, ensuring that the component not only meets the technical requirements but also aligns with the overall design and accessibility standards of the MOJ frontend. The process begins with a visual inspection and progresses into detailed code and functionality assessments.

Visual Preview and Miro Frame Integration

First impressions matter, and the visual preview is the first encounter reviewers have with the component. A screenshot of the component's preview, in this case, the Copy Button, is added to a Miro frame on the review board. This allows reviewers to see the component in action, understand its visual appeal, and assess its fit within the existing design system. This visual representation serves as a quick reference point throughout the review process. Tools like Miro facilitate collaborative feedback and ensure everyone is on the same page.

Asynchronous Review and Sticky Notes

Next, an asynchronous review is conducted, where reviewers independently examine the component and add their comments on virtual sticky notes. This method allows for a thorough and considered evaluation, as reviewers can take their time to identify potential issues, suggest improvements, and raise questions. Asynchronous reviews are particularly effective in distributed teams, allowing members to contribute regardless of their location or time zone. This approach ensures that a diverse range of perspectives is considered.

Weekly Review Call: Collaborative Discussion

The weekly review call is where the asynchronous feedback converges into a synchronous discussion. Reviewers gather to discuss the comments made on the sticky notes, address any queries, and define further actions. This call is essential for clarifying ambiguities, resolving conflicts, and making collective decisions. It provides a platform for real-time interaction and ensures that all team members are aligned on the next steps. The collaborative nature of this call fosters a shared understanding and commitment to the component's success.

2. Decision Point: Go or No-Go?

After the initial review, a critical decision point is reached: does the component meet the necessary criteria for progression? This decision is not taken lightly and is based on a comprehensive evaluation of various factors, including functionality, design consistency, accessibility, and code quality.

Criteria for Acceptance

The criteria for acceptance are stringent, reflecting the high standards of the MOJ frontend. The component must:

• Function as intended: The Copy Button must accurately copy text to the clipboard without errors.
• Align with the design system: The component's visual appearance must be consistent with the existing design language.
• Meet accessibility standards: The component must be usable by individuals with disabilities, adhering to WCAG guidelines.
• Exhibit high code quality: The code must be clean, well-documented, and free of security vulnerabilities.

Rejection and Contributor Communication

If the component does not meet these criteria, it is rejected. However, rejection is not the end of the road. Clear and constructive feedback is provided to the contributor, explaining the reasons for the decision and offering guidance for improvement. This communication is crucial for maintaining a positive relationship with contributors and encouraging future submissions. The responsibility for contacting the contributor is decided during the weekly call, ensuring accountability and a consistent message.

Proceeding to the Next Stage

If the component successfully meets the criteria, it progresses to the next stage, where specific queries and tasks are addressed in preparation for release. This marks a significant milestone in the component's journey, signaling its potential to enhance the MOJ frontend.

3. Queries: Addressing Concerns and Enhancing Quality

Even if a component meets the initial criteria, there may still be queries or areas for improvement. This stage focuses on addressing these concerns and ensuring the component is of the highest possible quality before release.

Contributor Communication and Resolution

If queries arise, the contributor is contacted with a detailed list of questions and requests for clarification. Open and transparent communication is essential for resolving these queries effectively. The contributor's responses and revisions are carefully reviewed to ensure that all concerns are adequately addressed. This iterative process may involve several rounds of communication and refinement.

No Queries: Moving Forward

In some cases, there may be no queries for the contributor. This indicates that the component has met all expectations and is ready to move forward to the next stage, which involves specific tasks to be completed before the release date is set.

4. Pre-Release Tasks: Preparing for Deployment

Before a release date can be set, a series of tasks must be completed to ensure the component is ready for deployment. These tasks cover various aspects, including content, code, accessibility, and design.

Content Tasks: Clear and Concise Communication

Content plays a crucial role in the usability of a component. The tasks include writing a lede (a brief introduction) and a summary to provide context and overview for users. Release notes are also drafted to communicate changes and updates to the wider team and community. These tasks are typically assigned to content specialists who can ensure the language is clear, concise, and user-friendly.

Image Verification: Ensuring Data Privacy

If the component includes an image, it must be thoroughly reviewed to ensure it is free of confidential data, such as prison procedures or Personally Identifiable Information (PII). This is a critical step in protecting sensitive information and maintaining privacy compliance. The image must also clearly showcase the component's functionality and visual appearance.

Code Review: Quality and Security Assurance

The code is rigorously reviewed to ensure it meets quality standards, matches the intended functionality, and is free of third-party dependencies and external requests. This review process is essential for identifying potential bugs, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues. Code reviewers assess the code's structure, readability, and maintainability, ensuring it adheres to best practices.

Accessibility (A11y) Review: Inclusive Design

Accessibility is a fundamental consideration in the development of any component. The accessibility review ensures that the component is usable by individuals with disabilities. This involves verifying that accessibility comments relate specifically to the component, writing appropriate alt text for images, and ensuring the component adheres to WCAG guidelines. Accessibility experts play a crucial role in this review process.

Visual and Design Alignment: Figma Integration

The component's visual appearance is compared to the design specifications in Figma, a popular design and prototyping tool. This ensures consistency between the design and implementation. A thumbnail is created for the component, and it is added to the MOJ Figma Kit in a new branch. This integration streamlines the design process and facilitates collaboration between designers and developers.

5. Setting the Release Date: Final Preparations

Once all pre-release tasks are completed, the release date can be set. This is a collaborative decision, involving key stakeholders who consider factors such as project timelines, dependencies, and resource availability.

Collaborative Decision-Making

The release date is determined through a discussion involving content specialists, code reviewers, accessibility experts, and project managers. This collaborative approach ensures that all perspectives are considered and that the release date is realistic and achievable. The agreed-upon date is then added to the team calendar to maintain transparency and coordination.

6. Post-Release Tasks: Ensuring a Smooth Deployment

After the release date is set, a series of tasks must be completed in a specific order to ensure a smooth deployment and integration of the component into the MOJ frontend.

Figma Integration and Publication

The first set of post-release tasks focuses on Figma integration. The release date is added to the Figma page, the Figma branch is merged, and a Figma link is added to the pull request. A GitHub discussion is created, and a link to it is added to the pull request. Finally, the Figma kit is published internally and externally, making the component available to designers and developers.

Code Merging and Deployment

Next, the code is merged into the main branch, and the deployment process is initiated. This step requires careful monitoring to ensure that the component is deployed correctly and that there are no issues or conflicts. Post-deployment checks are conducted to verify the component's functionality and performance.

Contributor Communication and Release Notes

The contributor is contacted to inform them of the successful release of their component. This communication acknowledges their contribution and fosters a positive relationship. Release notes are sent out to the wider team and community, providing details about the new component and its features. These notes help users understand the changes and how to use the component effectively.

Analytics Integration: Tracking Usage and Impact

The final step involves adding the component to the analytics spreadsheet. This integration allows for tracking the component's usage and impact, providing valuable data for future improvements and decisions. Analytics data helps the team understand how the component is being used, identify potential issues, and measure its overall effectiveness.

Conclusion: A Collaborative Approach to Quality

The review process for an experimental component submission to the MOJ frontend is a meticulous and collaborative effort. From the initial review to the post-release tasks, each step is designed to ensure the component meets the highest standards of quality, accessibility, and usability. This rigorous process reflects the commitment to providing exceptional digital services to the public.

By involving a diverse team of experts and stakeholders, the review process ensures that the component is not only technically sound but also aligned with the overall design and user experience goals of the MOJ frontend. This collaborative approach fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, ultimately benefiting users and the wider community.

For more information on best practices in web development and accessibility, visit the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).