Most software companies have a way users can request changes or offer feedback about system usability. In RMLSweb, we ask subscribers to click on Toolkit and select Questions/Comments. But what exactly happens when you click our Submit button?

All requests are initially reviewed by a technician at our Help Desk. The primary reviewer asks themselves the following questions:

• Is immediate help needed?
• Is this a bug?
• Is this a change/enhancement?

If the answer to this last question is yes we add a ‘subscriber enhancement request’ to a spreadsheet for further review.
Remember that Schoolhouse Rocks, How a Bill Becomes Law cartoon? In it, the bill gets debated in committee. In RMLS™ requests are reviewed by our internal Enhancement Committee. Request frequency, level of complexity, and overall system impact are some items considered.

Sometimes the request is passed along to RMLS™ Forms or Rules and Regulations committees. Sometimes they are passed along to the RMLS™ Board of Directors. Whatever the decision, we inform the requester of our next steps.

In the end some bills become law and some subscriber requests become features. When a green light is given, we add the request to our task tracking software and programmers begin coding. After the new feature is tested and materials are created to describe the change, it is released for our subscribers to use on RMLSweb.

How many features get released every year? We track what is released in document #1030 Deployment History and we outline future features in #1040 Future Enhancements.

So, if you find yourself thinking I wish the MLS could do this or wouldn’t it be nice if RMLSweb did that, scroll over Toolkit, click on Questions/Comments and start typing. We are here to respond.

Jasmine Ruthdotter works as Project Manager for RMLS™. She oversees reporting of cross-departmental projects for RMLS™ which includes Board of Director approved projects and internal projects that increase efficiency and improve productivity.