What is definition rollout?

Definition Rollout, also known as percentage rollout, is a technique used in software development to introduce new features gradually. It allows you to release a feature to a small percentage of users at first. As confidence in the feature's performance grows, you incrementally increase the user base.

Benefits of definition rollout

Definition Rollout offers several benefits. You can manage risk by identifying and fixing potential issues before a full launch. Collecting feedback from early users helps you make necessary adjustments to improve the feature. Gradual rollout ensures smoother transitions and less disruption to the user experience.

• Risk Management: Identify and fix issues early.

• User Feedback: Gather insights to improve features.

• Controlled Deployment: Ensure smoother transitions.

How to implement definition rollout

Creating definition rollout

• Targeting rules: Decide which users get the new feature. Use user attributes or random selection. Learn more

• Incremental increase: Start small. Gradually increase the percentage as confidence grows. See best practices

• Scheduled Rollouts: You can also set up scheduled rollouts to automate the timing of your feature releases.

Automating rollout

• Workflows: Automate the process. Adjust rollout percentages over time for a streamlined approach. Explore workflows for automating rollouts.

• Monitor and Adjust: Use a metrics dashboard to monitor the rollout and make necessary adjustments.

• Feature and Experiment Management: Implement feature gates and monitor experiment results to ensure success.

Use these examples and guidelines to seamlessly integrate and manage your feature rollouts.

Examples of definition rollout in practice

• E-commerce platform: Start with 10% of users for a new checkout process. Monitor performance and feedback. Gradually expand the rollout in stages. For a detailed understanding of stages of a release cycle, refer to this guide.

• Social media app: Introduce a new sharing feature to a small user group. Test engagement and functionality. Roll out more widely based on results. This can be compared to canary testing where a new feature is tested on a small group before full deployment.

• Financial services: Implement a new account management tool for a subset of users. Collect data on usage. Expand the user base gradually. This approach aligns with dark launches where features are initially hidden from most users for testing.

For further insights, you might also want to explore best practices for release management.