We are pleased to announce that the beta testing phase of TAPAS is about to begin. Those who have already signed up for TAPAS beta testing will soon receive an email inviting them to participate. The testing period will run for two weeks at the end of April.
The testing process will take place over the course of about two weeks, and we will be seeking input on the mechanics and ergonomics of using the various parts of the site, the look and feel of the interface, and the overall design of the service.
As part of the feedback process, we will ask participants to fill out a survey at the end of the testing period, and we will also host a discussion list to allow beta testers to provide immediate comments on their experiences and ask questions. The list will form the hub of the TAPAS user community, providing a space for further testing activities, discussions, and announcements. Between the forums and the survey, we hope to collect a rich set of comments which will help us improve the prototype for the official launch of TAPAS in January 2014.
This test environment is an internal prototype and is not yet public, but we look forward to having participants share their experience via blogs or Twitter. There will be future opportunities to test TAPAS as we continue to develop it for a projected launch in 2014. Please register if you are interested in participating in future tests.