Discharge Upgrade Wizard: Year Of Discharge Error Fix

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Discharge Upgrade Wizard: Year of Discharge Error Fix

Hey guys! Let's dive into a common snag in the Discharge Upgrade Wizard that's been causing some headaches. Veterans, like you, should be able to smoothly enter their discharge year, even if it's the current year. But, as you know, that hasn't always been the case. Let's break down the issue, why it matters, and how we're fixing it.

The Problem: Current Year Rejection

So, what's the deal? The Discharge Upgrade Wizard was throwing a wrench in the works when veterans tried to enter the current year as their year of discharge. The system would slap them with an error message: "Enter a valid 4-digit year." Basically, the system was telling them, "Nope, you can't use the current year." This is a problem because if you were discharged this year, or even sometime in the future, you should be able to navigate the wizard and get the right info. It's like the system was stuck in the past!

This is a frustrating experience for veterans who are just trying to get the information they need. Imagine, you've just separated from the military, you're trying to figure out your next steps, and the very first tool you go to gives you an error. Not cool, right?

Why This Matters: Veteran Experience First

Why should we care, you ask? Well, it all boils down to the veteran experience. The Discharge Upgrade Wizard is a tool meant to help veterans understand their options and navigate the discharge upgrade process. Every glitch, every roadblock, makes the process harder and more stressful. We want to make it as easy and intuitive as possible. That means fixing bugs like this one pronto.

Think about it: if the wizard can't handle the current year, it's immediately out of sync. Veterans could be missing out on crucial information, and that's just not acceptable. The goal is to provide a smooth, accurate, and user-friendly experience, and that includes the ability to accurately input your discharge year, even if it's the present or sometime in the future. We're talking about empowering veterans with the right tools, right when they need them.

The User Story

To really get the picture, let's look at the user story. This helps us understand the problem from the veteran's point of view:

  • AS A Veteran discharged from the military in the current year
  • I WANT to be able to enter that year when navigating through the Discharge Upgrade Wizard
  • SO THAT I can view results specific to my situation

This story highlights the core issue. Veterans discharged this year (or in the future) should be able to seamlessly use the tool. The solution needs to support this. If the tool does not meet this user story, then it is a failure.

What We're Doing to Fix It

Now for the good news! The team is working on a fix. The goal is simple: allow veterans to enter the current year (and even a future year) without any errors. No more "invalid year" messages. The fix involves some code updates to validate the year input and ensure it accepts the current and future years, allowing veterans to progress through the wizard seamlessly. This is a critical step in providing an optimal user experience and getting veterans the information they need.

Engineering Notes

Behind the scenes, the engineers are digging into the code to figure out exactly why the current year was being rejected. This might involve adjusting the validation rules or updating how the system processes the year input. The key is to ensure the system recognizes the current and future years as valid options, so it is important the input is validated correctly. The aim is a smooth, accurate experience, so veterans can access the support they deserve.

Analytics Considerations

To make sure we're on the right track, we'll keep an eye on some key metrics. After the fix is deployed, we'll monitor things like:

  • Error rates: Are those "invalid year" errors gone?
  • User flow: Are veterans able to complete the wizard successfully?
  • Feedback: Are veterans happy with the fix?

This data will help us measure the impact of the changes and make sure we're actually making things better. The team is dedicated to analyzing this data in depth to determine if any more work needs to be done.

Testing & QA: Making Sure It Works

Before this fix goes live, we have to make sure it works perfectly. That means some serious testing and quality assurance (QA).

Scope/Impact Analysis

The impact is pretty straightforward: It’s all about a better user experience for veterans. By allowing the current year, we ensure the Discharge Upgrade Wizard is accurate, relevant, and useful for everyone. The potential downside is minor. We are looking for unexpected regressions, which is why testing is so important.

Roles and Assignments

We've got a solid team on this. After functional testing, code review, accessibility review, and design review can happen in parallel.

  • Functional testing: The testing team will make sure the fix works as expected. They'll simulate different scenarios to ensure the system accepts the current and future years. It is critical to ensure this step is executed to ensure an optimal user experience.
  • Code review: The code will be reviewed to ensure everything is up to the standard.
  • Design review: The design will be reviewed to ensure a perfect user experience.
  • Accessibility review: The fix will be checked to ensure it is accessible to all veterans, including those with disabilities.
  • Product acceptance: Once all the checks are done, the product will be accepted, and the fix will be released. @FranECross will give the final thumbs up.

Acceptance Criteria

Here's what we're looking for to consider this fix a success:

  • Scenario 1: Current Year
    • GIVEN a Veteran is viewing the question "What year were you discharged from the military?"
    • WHEN the Veteran enters the current year, e.g., we are in year 2024, and they enter 2024
    • THEN no error message should occur
    • AND the Veteran can progress through the wizard
  • Scenario 2: Future Year
    • GIVEN a Veteran is viewing the question "What year were you discharged from the military?"
    • WHEN the Veteran enters a future year, e.g., we are in year 2025, and they enter 2026
    • THEN no error message should occur
    • AND the Veteran can progress through the wizard

Regression Test Plan

We already have a regression test plan to make sure we don't break anything else in the wizard. It is critical to ensure there is no unexpected regression. The link to the test plan is available.

In Conclusion: Improving the Veteran Experience

This fix is a small but important step in making the Discharge Upgrade Wizard the best it can be. By allowing veterans to accurately enter their discharge year, we're ensuring the tool is accurate, relevant, and helpful. We're committed to constantly improving the experience, and your feedback is important. Thanks for sticking with us, and we hope this helps! If you have any more questions, just let us know. We are always here to help you.