Smartsettle’s Beta Testing Program provides a great opportunity for enthusiastic users to trial new software before it hits the market. Take advantage of the latest features before they are released to the general public or test the software for your own research, seeing first-hand how eNegotiation is set to impact future negotiations.
This program is designed to insure that our software products are ready for prime time in the real world with all its different combinations of people and computer environments. This revolutionary technology requires testing in many different situations before we release it to the masses. New builds fixing bugs or adding new functionality are released frequently and each one needs to be tested.
We are looking for ambitious computer-literate people that already understand the concepts of interest-based or mutual gains negotiation and would be interested in helping us test Smartsettle in their own particular environment. Preference is given to those individuals where potential exists to test Smartsettle in live applications.
The benefits of testing our software products may include:
- privilege of being among the pioneers in the new field of Internet-based mediation and eNegotiation
- excitement in finding unsuspecting bugs the developers have not yet discovered
- making our (i.e., your!) software better as a result of detecting those bugs
- positively affecting our future direction of development through your suggestions
- opportunity to inspect and use a revolutionary product before anyone else
- special privileges for those that stick with us to the end of the program
Beta testers are expected to be motivated self-starters that are able to train themselves with the existing documentation (at least to Negotiator). Pre-release builds of the software products may come with revised editions of the User Guide.
A tester must be willing and able to develop test plans, set up a testing environment, run tests, report bugs and procure updated beta versions as they are released. We expect our testers to report any problems that they find and we will do our best to fix them. Pre-release builds of the software products usually have a relatively short life; however online updating is literally as easy as a few clicks.
Completely at our discretion, we will work most closely with those who have adequate technical expertise to help us make good progress. We are not guaranteeing any specified level of support to our testers. Involvement of our staff in training beta testers will be done at our discretion. If any testers desire additional support, we are willing to negotiate that additional support on a case by case basis.
Please understand that the software that you will be receiving may look fantastic to you, but the nature of beta versions is such that they may still contain rough edges.
In summary, beta testing involves:
- Informing us of your interest in an email to beta at smartsettle.com
- Enrolling in Smartsettle training
- Achieving a high score in the tournament at the Exhibition
- Applying to be a researcher or beta tester
- Obtaining a beta testing key
- Spending time testing the product
- Downloading updates from our website
- Tracking down and reporting bugs/incompatibilities in the product
- Giving suggestions for the user interface and features of the product
- Eventually giving your “seal of approval” on the product for shipping
The minimum testing requirements are the same as those required for regular training. Get started now!
Contacting the Beta Testing Program
If you think you are capable and enjoy a good challenge, we encourage you to apply. Please note that, while we will endeavor to be fair to all, we reserve the right to change any plans implied here without notice or obligation to any participants in our pre-release testing program.
If you have any questions that are not answered on this site, please feel free to contact us.