September 2021

For this release, we've added two new methods:

• Story mapping: This is a collaborative scoping activity to provide stakeholders with an overview of the proposed product functionality in a way that more clearly illustrates the value provided by the product and the way a person experiences it than is possible with the typical, flat backlog.
• Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA): This method includes some basic foundational information about how to ensure research activities are in compliance with PRA, which aims to prevent unnecessary or duplicative information requests from the public. The intent is for federal agencies to be good stewards of the public’s time. This will be augmented with more detailed information in a Bixal Library resource, Navigating PRA.

March 2021

The themes for this cycle were improving research participant communication and incorporating templates.

Participant communication

To make it quicker and easier to conduct recruiting and participant engagement, we've created several templates to jumpstart the communication process:

• Introduction message: introducing yourself to potential participants and the purpose of the study. There are examples for with and without a referral.
• Participant agreement introduction: requesting review of and signature for the agreement.
• Participant agreement: agreement to set expectations for the study and confirm consent.

You can find links to all of these in the Recruiting method.

Incorporating templates

There are many great resources for jumpstarting the methods as well, both within the site and from some of the main tools we use like Miro and Flowmapp. Now you can find them all in one place on the Templates page, and also on each of the relevant method pages.

Thanks to @sofya-UX and @katharine-carr for their contributions this cycle!

January 2021

While we've continued to make incremental improvements to the site since the first release in January, moving forward we will package major new functionality and recaps of updates into releases about every 8 weeks. Thanks to @allie-shaw and @sofya-UX for their contributions for this release!

Here's what we have for the Jan 2021 release:

New methods

As we develop this tool, we will continue to add new methods that capture our recommended ways of working.

• Tree testing: Validate assumptions and ideas about a site structure using Optimal Workshop or other tools.
• Page quality audit: As part of early discovery on a project, run this automated test to identify tasks the whole team can start working on right away.

Overhauled methods

In addition to adding new tools, we will continually revisit and revise existing tools to align with our practice.

• Heuristic evaluation: We've updated this method to better describe who to include in this activity and what criteria to evaluate against.

Resource updates

As we review existing methods, we'll make updates to linked resources as needed.

• Removed "cartography" article from Journey Mapping method resources.
• Separated stakeholder and user interviews into independent methods.
• Renamed Task Flow Analysis to User Flow Diagramming and moved it to the Interpretation section since it's generally based on findings from the Observation activities.

Tech enhancements

• Added Google Analytics
• Added social card content (for better sharing experience)

Launching Discussions

As we move forward with planning for the next cycle, we'll begin to use the new GitHub feature Discussions to capture feedback and ideas.

First release

This is the first release of the Bixal Methods, based on the original 18F Methods.

Here are the initial changes we made to start to make it reflective of our practice at Bixal:

• Changed the method groupings and labels to more closely reflect the mental model of how we work on projects.
• Changed some branding items, including the logo, favicon, and colors.
• Added new cards for Planning and Findings in the Fundamentals section.
• Added a Templates page to house all the templates that are referenced throughout the site.
• Updated some of the ancillary content to reflect that this is now a Bixal project — things like the About page, the README file, the license, and the contribution policy.