Deep-dive into the updates

Value: Less waiting, more doing 

Feature: Cloud migration (Platform update)

Why do the cloud migration? 

To make the checks done by the platform faster when the platform process complex data across many different sites.  

What did we do when we migrated?

1. We have replaced our physical servers with a cloud solution hosted by Amazon Web Services.
We store our customer’s data in whichever region they need it stored, allowing flexibility to address business needs and data privacy concerns. Cloud migration will not change that, only make our platform work faster.  

2. We have also updated and improved the technology being used when running checks via our API. The content assessment process has been modernized so that 90 % of the time it takes less than 90 seconds to perform the check.  

Feature: Analytics performance improvements (Analytics update)

Why improve Analytics performance?

The new Analytics pipeline will future-proof the platform to better service websites with high amounts of visitor data while still delivering fast performance.   

What did we do when we improved the performance? 

A backend update has happened. This has resulted in data requests that took 10+ minutes to fetch, now load in seconds. Additionally, more data can be processed for our largest customers. 

Additional information about the improvements 

Click here to read the frequently asked questions regarding the new Analytics module in the platform (opens in a new tab).

Value: Working at scale is now easier 

Feature: More efficient workflow for 'potential issues' (Accessibility update)  

Why improve the workflow for potential issues? 

To limit the amount of manual and repetitive work in the Accessibility module, when administrating potential issues.  

 What did we do when we improved the workflow?

We have revised the workflow for 'potential issues' in the Accessibility module, reducing the number of times we need to ask for the user’s input. We have done that for three rules. 

For the potential issue “Is it clear which page element has focus from the keyboard?”, the user can apply a CSS selector to the outcome of a review. The system will then apply that outcome to all occurrences matching that CSS selector across the site. 

For the potential issue “Is there a minimum contrast ratio between the text and background?”, and for the potential related to “Is there an enhanced contrast ratio between the text and background?”, the user can answer a starting question. This optimizes the platform's knowledge of the page and then removes obstacles our automated checker hits when trying to calculate background colors. 

Preview of the improved workflow 

Picture 3: Screenshot of the CSS selector 

Picture 4: Screenshot of how to give input when answering the starting question. 

Where to find the improved workflow

1. Click "Accessibility" in the menu to the left. 
2. Click "Potential issues". 
3. Select the sites you would like to manage. 
4. Manage the rule (if it is relevant to the site you have loaded). 

Additional information about the improved workflow

Click here to read more about how to review potential issues (opens in a new tab).
Click here to read more about how to dismiss occurrences of accessibility issues (opens in a new tab).

Feature: Expanded accessibility coverage (new rules) (Accessibility update)

Why expand the accessibility coverage?

 To expand accessibility coverage in line with the development done by ACT Working Group, and hereby provide the users with an even more advanced Accessibility tool. 

 What did we do when we expanded the coverage?

17 new rules have been added to the Accessibility module in the platform, to expand the coverage of what can automatically be tested. The rules are marked with a “NEW” badge in the list of rules in the platform.  

Implications of adding 17 new rules 

Because of the implementation, you may see a change in your DCI score depending on how many new accessibility issues occurrences the platform finds due to the expanded coverage. 

Additional information about the 17 new rules 

Click here to find more information about this specific update and the implications (opens in a new tab).

Feature: Duplicate Policy (Policy update) 

Why duplicate a Policy?

To reduce the amount of manual and repetitive work in the platform.  

What did we do when we created the duplicate feature?

Instead of having to create a policy from scratch, users can now create a copy of an existing policy, make edits, and save it as a new policy. This allows for the quick and easy creation of policies at scale, and it improves the usability of the product.  

Preview of the duplicate feature

Picture 5: Screenshot of how the user can copy a Policy instead of creating it from scratch . 

Where to find the new feature 

1. Click "Policy" in the menu to the left in the platform. 
2. Click "My Policies". 
3. Find the policy you would like to copy. 
4. Click the three dots to the very right of the desired policy. 
5. Click "Duplicate".  

Additional information about duplicating a Policy 

Click here to read more about duplicating a policy (opens in a new tab).

Value: Know where to focus your attention 

Feature: More integrated reports (Dashboard & Reports update)

Why integrate the reports? 

We will like to make it easy for the user of the Siteimprove platform, to know where to focus their attention when working with the different tools in the platform.  

What did we do when we integrated the reports? 

We have closed down the old Quality Assurance reports, and instead set up a new report email that goes out weekly to all users with site and group access.  
The email contains DCI scores, actionable insights, and a call to action to easily log into the platform and fix relevant issues.  
The email will show an overview of Quality Assurance (QA), Accessibility, and SEO with the following checks: 

• Broken links 
• Misspellings 
• Images without alternative text  
• Pages with images larger than 1 MB 
• (More checks can be added by the user) 

Preview of the integrated report 

Picture 6: Screenshot of the email report 

Implications because of the update 

To ensure a smooth transition for you, there is a migration plan in place for this feature.
The migration to the new, integrated reports will be a step-by-step process over the next months. You will be notified when it's your time to migrate.

Additional information about the integrated reports

Click here to read more about how to utilize the integrated reports (opens in a new tab).

Feature: New Dashboard experience (Dashboard & Reports update) 

Why add the new Accessibility widget? 

We want to make it easier for the user to know where to focus attention, and at the same time reduce the amount of time spent fixing issues.  

What did we do when we created the widget? 

We have reworked the dashboard so that new widgets now allow metrics and dimensions to be viewed across sites in a single view, instead of site by site.  
With the widget enabled, you can get an overview of the total amount of issues across sites, and then you can filter the issues by site and fix them as desired.   

Preview of the new widget

Picture 7: Screenshot of the cross-site view enabled for Accessibility issues. 

Where to find the new feature 

1. Go to the Dashboard and click “Add widget” 
2. Find the cross-site widget called "Cross Site Accessibility Issues”  
3. Add the widget to the dashboard 

Additional information about the new widget 

Click here to read more about how to add and use the widget (opens in a new tab).