Why we're changing how we ship
We've heard the feedback. Managing a construction ecosystem takes predictability, and unexpected software updates are the opposite of predictable. Disrupted workflows. Teams surprised by new flows mid-project. Client Success fielding the same "what changed?" question a hundred times on release day. For a platform that hundreds of GC teams run their prequal programs on every day, that's a problem we couldn't keep shipping around.
Saying goodbye to big-bang
Starting this release cycle, we're moving off "big-bang" deploys, the industry shorthand for "push everything live at once and let users sort it out." In its place: progressive delivery. Every update now flows through three stages, each one expanding the audience in controlled circles before the change is permanent for anyone.
Stage 1, Validation (alpha)
The first 1–2 weeks of a release live entirely behind a feature flag. Only our internal team and a small set of GC Design Partners see the new feature. The goal is plain: catch the smoke before there's a fire. We're testing in the real world, but on a tiny, controlled scale, finding and fixing bugs quietly, without anyone else noticing. Communication at this stage is targeted and private. The general public sees and hears nothing. We only communicate directly with the Design Partners actively running the feature.
Stage 2, Client buffer (opt-in beta)
This is the change that will matter most to your team. For 2–4 weeks before a feature becomes permanent, any COMPASS client can opt in. You'll get a "coming soon" email to your GC Admins, an in-app banner, and preview release notes, plus a toggle in your account settings labeled "Try Beta." Flip it on and your team can test the new workflow with real data, retrain, and give us feedback. Hit a snag? Flip it back off. No workflow changes are forced on you until Stage 3, which means for weeks, you have complete control over when and how your team adopts the change.
Stage 3, General availability (live)
By the time a feature reaches Stage 3, it's been tested internally, refined by Design Partner feedback, hardened by opt-in beta usage, and stripped of the bugs that would have burned on a big-bang launch. The entire COMPASS network moves onto it. We publish finalized release notes, update the Help Center, and add short in-app walkthroughs for anyone who hasn't seen the new flow yet. But because you were notified weeks ago in Stage 2, this official release is business as usual for your team, no fire drills.
Two principles sitting underneath all this
First: an escape hatch. During Stage 2, if a new workflow confuses your team, flip the toggle off and return to the legacy view while you adjust. No support ticket required. Second: your voice shapes the final version. The feedback we get from Design Partners in Stage 1 and opt-in clients in Stage 2 directly shapes what ships to everyone in Stage 3. If you've ever wanted to influence how a COMPASS feature lands before it lands, this is the lever.
How to get early access
Two ways in. Reach out to your Client Success Manager to be added to our Stage 1 Design Partner list, the innermost circle, earliest access, tightest feedback loop. Or, starting this quarter, watch for the "Try Beta" toggle in your account settings and flip it on when you want a head start on the next release cycle. Either way, no more surprises. You'll know what's coming weeks before it goes live, and you'll have a say in how it ships.
“We'd rather catch the smoke before there's a fire, even if it means shipping slower and quieter than before.”
— Dave Warford
