Save Course As Draft: Feature Request

This article discusses a feature request for allowing users to save a course as a draft even if all required fields are not yet completed. This enhancement will significantly improve the user experience for content creators, providing greater flexibility and control over the course creation process.

Background: The Need for Draft Saving

Currently, our system mandates that users fill in all fields marked with an asterisk (*) before they can save a new course. This requirement can be restrictive, especially when content creators are in the initial stages of development. Often, crucial elements such as images or specific details may not be immediately available. This limitation prevents users from saving their progress, which can lead to frustration and potential data loss. To address this issue, we propose implementing a draft-saving feature that allows users to save their work-in-progress without the immediate need to complete every required field.

Allowing users to save courses as drafts offers several key benefits. First and foremost, it enhances workflow flexibility. Content creators can focus on writing the core text, structuring the curriculum, and adding other essential details without the pressure of having all supplementary materials ready at the outset. This approach fosters a more fluid and iterative creation process, where users can build upon their work gradually. Secondly, a draft-saving feature mitigates the risk of losing partially completed content. Unexpected interruptions, technical issues, or simply the need to take a break can all lead to lost work if the system does not support saving incomplete entries. By enabling drafts, we ensure that creators' efforts are preserved, providing peace of mind and encouraging more extensive and thoughtful content development. Moreover, this feature aligns with modern content creation workflows, which emphasize incremental progress and continuous improvement. Content creation is rarely a linear process; it often involves revisiting and refining different sections over time. The ability to save drafts facilitates this non-linear approach, allowing creators to work on various aspects of the course in parallel and gradually bring their vision to fruition. In essence, draft saving is not just a convenience feature; it's a fundamental enhancement that supports a more efficient, flexible, and secure content creation environment.

Acceptance Criteria: Defining the Draft Saving Functionality

To ensure the successful implementation of this feature, we have established clear acceptance criteria that outline the core functionality and user expectations. These criteria serve as a benchmark against which the implemented solution will be evaluated. The primary acceptance criterion is that users must be able to save a piece of content as a draft without completing all fields marked with a star (*). This means that the system should allow saving an incomplete course, even if mandatory fields are left blank. When a course is saved as a draft, it should be clearly indicated as such within the user interface. This visual cue will help users distinguish between completed and draft courses, preventing confusion and ensuring proper content management.

Furthermore, the system should provide clear feedback to the user about the status of their draft. For example, a notification or message could indicate that the course has been saved as a draft and that required fields are still pending completion. This proactive communication will guide users towards completing their course and ensure that no critical information is overlooked. Another important aspect of the acceptance criteria is the ease of access and management of draft courses. Users should be able to easily locate and access their drafts from a central location, such as a dashboard or a dedicated drafts section. This accessibility is crucial for maintaining an organized workflow and ensuring that creators can quickly resume their work. Additionally, the system should allow users to easily identify the missing required fields in a draft course. This could be achieved through visual cues, such as highlighting incomplete fields or providing a summary of missing information. By streamlining the process of identifying and addressing incomplete sections, we can significantly reduce the time and effort required to finalize a course. In summary, the acceptance criteria for the draft-saving feature are designed to create a user-friendly, efficient, and reliable system that empowers content creators to manage their work effectively. These criteria emphasize clear communication, easy access, and seamless integration into the existing workflow, ensuring that the feature provides maximum value to our users. This feature request originated from Esbjerg Kommune on October 1, 2025, underscoring the importance of this enhancement for our user community.

Assumptions and Prerequisites: Foundations for Implementation

When introducing new features, it's important to consider the underlying assumptions and prerequisites that form the foundation of our implementation. Currently, there are no specific assumptions or prerequisites identified for the implementation of the draft-saving feature. This blank slate provides us with the flexibility to design the feature in the most efficient and effective manner possible, without being constrained by existing dependencies or limitations. However, it is crucial to maintain an open and iterative approach as we move forward. As the design and implementation process unfolds, we will remain vigilant in identifying any potential assumptions or prerequisites that may emerge. Regular discussions with the development team, stakeholders, and end-users will help us uncover any hidden dependencies and ensure that the feature is built on a solid foundation. This proactive approach will mitigate the risk of encountering unforeseen challenges and ensure a smoother development process. While we currently anticipate a straightforward implementation, we recognize that software development is an evolving landscape. New information and insights may come to light as we delve deeper into the technical aspects of the feature. Therefore, we are committed to a collaborative and adaptable process, where we continuously evaluate and refine our understanding of the project requirements. This iterative approach will not only help us identify any necessary prerequisites but also ensure that the final product aligns perfectly with the needs of our users. In summary, while no immediate assumptions or prerequisites are apparent, we are prepared to address any that may arise during the development process. Our focus on clear communication, continuous evaluation, and collaborative problem-solving will ensure a successful and seamless integration of the draft-saving feature into our platform. This proactive stance reflects our commitment to delivering a high-quality user experience and underscores our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our content creators.

Implementation Breakdown: Structuring the Development Process

To effectively implement the draft-saving feature, a structured breakdown of the development process is essential. This breakdown outlines the key steps involved in bringing the feature to life, ensuring that each stage is carefully planned and executed. Unfortunately, the current documentation does not include a detailed implementation breakdown. This omission represents an opportunity to further refine our approach and ensure a comprehensive development plan. A thorough implementation breakdown typically includes several critical components. First, it defines the specific tasks that need to be completed, such as designing the user interface elements for draft saving, modifying the database schema to accommodate draft status, and implementing the backend logic for saving and retrieving drafts. Each task should be clearly defined with specific objectives and deliverables, ensuring that the development team has a clear understanding of their responsibilities. Secondly, the breakdown should establish a timeline for each task, setting realistic deadlines and milestones. This timeline will help keep the project on track and ensure that the feature is delivered within the desired timeframe. Project management tools and techniques can be used to monitor progress and identify any potential delays or roadblocks. Thirdly, the implementation breakdown should address the allocation of resources, assigning specific team members to each task. This ensures accountability and helps to optimize the use of available resources. It also fosters collaboration and communication among team members, as they work together to achieve their assigned objectives. Furthermore, a detailed breakdown should consider the potential risks and challenges associated with each task. Identifying potential issues early on allows the team to develop mitigation strategies and minimize the impact of any unforeseen problems. Risk assessment should be an ongoing process, with regular reviews to identify and address any new risks that may emerge. Finally, the implementation breakdown should include a plan for testing and quality assurance. This plan should outline the various testing methods that will be used, such as unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing. It should also define the criteria for successful completion of testing, ensuring that the feature meets the required quality standards. In conclusion, a comprehensive implementation breakdown is crucial for the successful development of the draft-saving feature. By clearly defining tasks, timelines, resources, risks, and testing procedures, we can ensure a well-organized and efficient development process. This structured approach will not only help us deliver the feature on time and within budget but also ensure that it meets the needs of our users and provides a seamless user experience.

Test Description: Ensuring Quality and Reliability

A robust test description is vital for ensuring the quality and reliability of the draft-saving feature. This description outlines the specific tests that will be conducted to verify that the feature functions as intended and meets the defined acceptance criteria. Currently, the available documentation lacks a detailed test description, highlighting an area for improvement in our project planning. A comprehensive test description typically includes several key elements. First, it identifies the different scenarios that need to be tested. These scenarios should cover a wide range of use cases, including saving a course as a draft with various combinations of completed and incomplete fields, retrieving drafts, editing drafts, and publishing drafts. Each scenario should be clearly defined, with specific input conditions and expected outcomes. Secondly, the test description should specify the testing methods that will be used. These methods may include unit testing, which focuses on testing individual components of the feature, integration testing, which verifies the interaction between different components, and user acceptance testing, which involves end-users testing the feature in a real-world environment. The choice of testing methods should be based on the nature of the feature and the specific risks that need to be addressed. Thirdly, the test description should outline the test data that will be used. This data should be representative of the data that will be used in the live system and should include both valid and invalid inputs. Using a diverse set of test data helps to ensure that the feature is robust and can handle a wide range of situations. Furthermore, the test description should define the criteria for passing each test. These criteria should be objective and measurable, allowing testers to clearly determine whether a test has been successful. The criteria should be aligned with the acceptance criteria for the feature and should cover all aspects of its functionality. Finally, the test description should include a plan for documenting test results. This documentation should include a record of the tests that were conducted, the results of each test, and any defects that were identified. Documenting test results provides valuable information for tracking progress, identifying trends, and ensuring that defects are resolved in a timely manner. In conclusion, a detailed test description is essential for ensuring the quality and reliability of the draft-saving feature. By clearly defining test scenarios, testing methods, test data, pass/fail criteria, and documentation procedures, we can ensure that the feature is thoroughly tested and meets the needs of our users. This rigorous testing process will help to identify and resolve any defects before the feature is released, resulting in a more stable and user-friendly system.

Risks and Risk Assessment: Identifying Potential Challenges

A thorough risk assessment is a critical step in the development process, as it helps to identify potential challenges that could impact the successful implementation of the draft-saving feature. By proactively identifying and assessing risks, we can develop mitigation strategies to minimize their impact. Currently, the available documentation does not include a detailed risk assessment, indicating an area for further development in our project planning. A comprehensive risk assessment typically involves several key steps. First, it involves identifying potential risks. These risks could range from technical challenges, such as difficulties integrating the feature with existing systems, to project management issues, such as delays in development or resource constraints. Identifying risks requires a collaborative effort, involving input from various stakeholders, including developers, testers, and project managers. Secondly, the risk assessment involves analyzing the likelihood and impact of each identified risk. This analysis helps to prioritize risks and focus on those that are most likely to occur and have the greatest potential impact. Likelihood and impact can be assessed using a variety of techniques, such as qualitative assessments (e.g., high, medium, low) or quantitative assessments (e.g., probability scores). Thirdly, the risk assessment involves developing mitigation strategies for each significant risk. These strategies should outline the actions that will be taken to reduce the likelihood or impact of the risk. Mitigation strategies could include preventive measures, such as implementing best practices for software development, or contingency plans, such as having alternative solutions in place in case a particular risk materializes. Furthermore, the risk assessment should include a plan for monitoring risks throughout the project lifecycle. This monitoring should involve regular reviews to identify any new risks that may emerge and to track the effectiveness of existing mitigation strategies. Risk monitoring ensures that the risk assessment remains current and relevant and allows for timely adjustments to mitigation plans. Finally, the risk assessment should be documented, providing a record of the risks that were identified, the analysis that was conducted, the mitigation strategies that were developed, and the monitoring activities that were performed. This documentation serves as a valuable resource for the project team and can be used to inform future risk assessments. In conclusion, a detailed risk assessment is essential for the successful implementation of the draft-saving feature. By proactively identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks, we can minimize the potential for project delays, cost overruns, and quality issues. This proactive approach will help to ensure that the feature is delivered on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards.

Not Included: Defining the Scope of the Feature

Clearly defining what is not included in a feature is just as important as defining what is included. This clarity helps to manage expectations and ensures that the project scope remains focused and manageable. Currently, the documentation does not explicitly outline what is not included in the draft-saving feature. This omission presents an opportunity to further refine our understanding of the feature scope and ensure that all stakeholders are aligned. Specifying what is not included helps to prevent scope creep, which is the tendency for projects to expand beyond their original goals. Scope creep can lead to delays, cost overruns, and reduced quality, so it is important to actively manage it. By clearly defining the boundaries of the feature, we can ensure that the development effort is focused on delivering the core functionality that is required. There are several aspects that could be considered when defining what is not included in the draft-saving feature. For example, we might specify that the initial implementation will only support draft saving for courses and not for other types of content, such as modules or assignments. Alternatively, we might specify that the feature will not include advanced features such as version control or automatic saving. The specific exclusions will depend on the project goals, the available resources, and the priorities of the stakeholders. When defining what is not included, it is important to be clear and specific. Avoid vague or ambiguous language that could lead to misinterpretations. The exclusions should be documented in a clear and accessible manner, so that all stakeholders can easily understand them. It is also important to communicate the exclusions to the development team, so that they are aware of the boundaries of the feature and can avoid spending time on functionality that is not within scope. Furthermore, the exclusions should be reviewed periodically throughout the project lifecycle. As the project progresses, new information may come to light that changes the scope of the feature. It is important to be flexible and adapt to these changes, but only after carefully considering the implications for the project schedule, budget, and quality. In conclusion, clearly defining what is not included in the draft-saving feature is essential for managing expectations, preventing scope creep, and ensuring that the development effort is focused on delivering the core functionality that is required. This clarity will help to ensure that the project is completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards.

Design Considerations: Shaping the User Experience

The design of the draft-saving feature is a crucial aspect of its overall success. A well-designed feature will be intuitive, user-friendly, and seamlessly integrated into the existing platform. Conversely, a poorly designed feature can lead to confusion, frustration, and reduced adoption. Currently, the documentation does not include any specific design considerations for the draft-saving feature. This lack of design detail highlights an area for further development in our project planning. Design considerations should address a wide range of aspects, from the visual appearance of the feature to its usability and accessibility. Visual design elements, such as the placement of buttons and icons, the use of color and typography, and the overall layout, should be carefully considered to create a consistent and aesthetically pleasing user experience. Usability considerations focus on how easy the feature is to use. This includes factors such as the number of steps required to save a draft, the clarity of the instructions and feedback provided to the user, and the overall efficiency of the workflow. The design should aim to minimize the effort required by the user and to make the process as intuitive as possible. Accessibility is another important design consideration. The feature should be designed to be usable by people with disabilities, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. This may involve using assistive technologies, such as screen readers, and following accessibility guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). In addition to these core design considerations, there are other factors that may need to be taken into account, depending on the specific requirements of the project. For example, the design may need to consider the scalability of the feature, the performance implications of different design choices, and the security aspects of the feature. The design process should involve a collaborative effort, involving input from various stakeholders, including users, designers, developers, and project managers. User feedback is particularly valuable, as it can provide insights into how the feature is likely to be used in practice and identify any potential usability issues. The design should be iterative, with regular reviews and refinements based on feedback. This iterative approach helps to ensure that the final design meets the needs of the users and provides a positive user experience. In conclusion, careful design considerations are essential for the successful implementation of the draft-saving feature. By focusing on visual design, usability, accessibility, and other relevant factors, we can create a feature that is not only functional but also a pleasure to use. This will help to maximize adoption and ensure that the feature provides value to our users.

Data Foundation: Structuring Information Storage

The data foundation is the underlying structure that supports the draft-saving feature, dictating how information is stored, accessed, and managed. A well-designed data foundation is crucial for ensuring the reliability, scalability, and performance of the feature. Currently, the documentation does not provide any specific details about the data foundation for the draft-saving feature. This lack of information highlights an area for further development in our project planning. When designing the data foundation, several key considerations need to be taken into account. First, the data model needs to be defined. This involves identifying the different entities that need to be stored, such as courses, drafts, and users, and the relationships between them. The data model should be designed to be flexible and extensible, allowing for future enhancements and changes without requiring significant modifications. Secondly, the storage mechanism needs to be selected. This could involve using a relational database, a NoSQL database, or a combination of both. The choice of storage mechanism will depend on factors such as the volume of data, the complexity of the data model, and the performance requirements of the feature. Thirdly, the data access methods need to be defined. This involves specifying how data will be retrieved, updated, and deleted. The data access methods should be designed to be efficient and secure, minimizing the risk of data loss or corruption. Furthermore, the data foundation needs to consider data integrity. This involves ensuring that data is consistent and accurate, and that data relationships are maintained. Data integrity can be enforced through a variety of mechanisms, such as constraints, triggers, and validation rules. In addition to these core data foundation considerations, there are other factors that may need to be taken into account, depending on the specific requirements of the project. For example, the data foundation may need to consider data security, data privacy, and data retention policies. The design of the data foundation should involve a collaborative effort, involving input from various stakeholders, including database administrators, developers, and data architects. The data foundation should be documented, providing a clear and comprehensive description of the data model, the storage mechanism, the data access methods, and the data integrity measures. This documentation serves as a valuable resource for the project team and can be used to inform future development efforts. In conclusion, a well-designed data foundation is essential for the successful implementation of the draft-saving feature. By carefully considering the data model, the storage mechanism, the data access methods, and the data integrity measures, we can create a robust and scalable data foundation that supports the needs of the feature and its users.

Additional Notes: Capturing Key Insights

Additional notes provide a space to capture any important insights, considerations, or reminders that are not covered in other sections of the documentation. These notes can be invaluable for ensuring that all relevant information is taken into account during the development process. Currently, the documentation does not include any additional notes for the draft-saving feature. This blank section represents an opportunity to add any remaining thoughts or considerations that could contribute to the successful implementation of the feature. Additional notes might include reminders about specific requirements, potential challenges, or alternative approaches. For example, a note might remind the development team to consider the impact of the feature on the performance of the system or to explore alternative ways of implementing a particular aspect of the feature. Notes can also be used to capture decisions that have been made, such as the choice of a particular technology or the rejection of a proposed feature. Documenting these decisions helps to provide context for future discussions and ensures that the rationale behind them is not forgotten. Furthermore, notes can be used to capture feedback from stakeholders, such as users or project managers. This feedback can be valuable for identifying potential issues or areas for improvement. The notes section should be used as a catch-all for any information that is relevant to the project but does not fit neatly into other sections of the documentation. The notes should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. They should be dated and attributed, so that it is clear who made the note and when it was made. The notes section should be reviewed regularly to ensure that all relevant information is being taken into account. This review can help to identify any gaps in the documentation or any areas where further clarification is needed. In conclusion, the additional notes section provides a valuable space to capture key insights and considerations that might otherwise be overlooked. By using this section effectively, we can help to ensure that the draft-saving feature is implemented successfully and meets the needs of our users.

In conclusion, the feature request to allow saving courses as drafts without completing all required fields is a significant enhancement that promises to improve the user experience and streamline the content creation process. By addressing the need for greater flexibility and reducing the risk of data loss, this feature aligns with modern content creation workflows and empowers users to manage their work more effectively.

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