TESTING of new BCH platform - Second Phase

Dear BCH users,

Happy New Year!

We hope you had a nice break over the holidays despite the current situation with the pandemic!

Now, back to business (as the expression goes).

We are back to working on the development and testing of the new BCH platform.

We are starting the year with asking you to test a simple, and last, online format of Phase II, that is called "Country Profiles for Biosafety Clearing-House (BCP)".

FOR WHOM: This test is for national users only: BCH FPs, CPB FPs and NAUs.

VIDEO:
Please watch a short (less that 5 min) informal video which explains the purpose of the "Country Profiles for Biosafety Clearing-House (BCP)" online format: https://youtu.be/LRNFq06QPIg.

TEST ASSIGNMNET:

1. Log in to https://bch.cbddev.xyz/register.
2. Using the BCP online format, create or update the information on your Country Profile page. Please keep in mind that if there is already a BCP profile for your government, the system should not allow you to create a new one!!!
3. Find your record in Search.
4. Examine the display of information (changes made) on Country Profile page.
5. Optional: repeat the steps above.

Please note that the information you will see in the dev. site and for your government is the information that has been migrated from the current BCH. However, whatever you edit, create in the test site will not affect your Country Profile page in the current BCH. In the future, we will be migrating data again to the final version of the new BCH, and all test data will be removed. So, don't be afraid to experiment!

DEADLINE: Please send us your feedback and comments by Friday  - January 29th.

Thank you for your continued support and warmest regards,

Anastasia

PS Small disclaimer. In the video, I keep on calling the BCP "format" a "profile". What I mean to say is that you update the profile by using the BCP format. So "format" is a more accurate term. I apologize if there is any confusion.

Dear BCH Users,

This is a short message to wish all of you, on behalf of the Biosafety Unit, a very happy and healthy Holiday Season!

Thank you very much for your invaluable support in testing/developing the new BCH platform, which we will continue doing together with you in the new year! So we will be in touch!

Until then, please take good care of yourselves and your families and stay safe and healthy, especially during these troubling times!

We look forward to working with you in the new year and we also wish you a healthy, happy and  prosperous 2021!!! Let's hope 2021 will be a much better year for the whole world!

Kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

This time we are asking for your help in testing the “Matrix” view type in the new BCH.

This test assignment is for all users. It applies to the Search interface so no log is required.

The "Matrix" view allows you to generate various tabular displays of data, perform calculations and generate various charts.

We are not giving you any specific scenarios as we want you to come up with your own. Think of how you would use this view and then test the system accordingly.

To help you navigate through this view type and understand it better, please watch this informal VIDEO (approx. 14 min long) which explains some key features of the "Matrix": https://youtu.be/_ntdKk0R0ps

We will be testing this feature together with you.

DEADLINE: Friday - 27 November.

Thank you for all your support.

Kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

Thank you for all your comments about Grouping and Sorting filters. We will be working on improving those filters as per you comments.

Another record is ready for testing: "BCH News (BCHN)".

It is a Reference Record, thus, all user can participate in this test. Just a reminder that since this is a Reference Record – the records you create/update/delete will be validated and published by the Secretariat.

Test assignment:

1. Log in to the Submit page at https://bch.cbddev.xyz/register.
2. Create a “BCH News” record (complete as many fields as you can). Try different formatting features when you enter text in “Abstract” or “News text” or "Additional information". Try attaching files. Submit your record for publishing.
3. Once the record is published by the Secretariat, search for it. Try using filters to find your record (for example, Free Text, Date, Country). Examine the display of all the information entered.
4. Try editing your record from the Search interface. Submit it for publishing.
5. Find your edited record and examine the changes made.
6. Optional: Try deleting your record.

Deadline is Monday – 26 October.

Thank you for your support.

Kind regards,
Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

Thank you for all  your feedback in response to the test assignment on Experts. We are working on implementing your suggestions.

In this next assignment we would like to ask for your help in testing the Grouping and Sorting display functions/features of the new platform.

Please note that we at the Secretariat have not tested these features extensively ourselves. We will be doing this test together with you. Your feedback and your impressions are greatly appreciated, as usual.

The Grouping and Sorting display functions/features are located in the Search interface and they enable you to organize and display search results according to your selected preferences. 

The test assignment and the features are explained in this 4 min video: https://youtu.be/GcqfUSgcZdk

Deadline is: Monday – 5 October.

Thank you for all your support.

Kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

The assignment this time is dedicated to BIOSAFETY EXPERT (EXP) record type.  Since it is a National Record, this test assignment is mainly for CPB focal points, NAUs and BCH focal points.

However, all regular BCH users can still test the Search interface, which we encourage you to do.

The test assignment is explained below.

Perform the following (test site address is: https://bch.cbddev.xyz/register):

STEP 1: Test the Submission process (this is for NAUs and CPB, BCH focal points).

In SUBMIT interface:

1. Create an Expert.
2. Edit and Expert.
3. Delete an Expert.

STEP 2: Test the Search interface (for all users).

In SEARCH interface:

1. Find your expert. Examine the record. Try editing it from the Search interface (if you are a regular user, you will not see the "Edit" button).
2. Search for experts using various filters, including record ID.
3. Test the “View Type” and “Sort By” filters (top right corner). Please note that in “View Type”, the "Matrix" filter is not functioning at this time.

This informal video also briefly describes the test assignment in both Submit and Search interfaces and points out a few new features: https://youtu.be/6QJs4hXsXxo.

DEADLINE: Friday – 18 September.

Thank you for all your support!

Kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

The purpose of this message is to bring to your attention the job opening for the temporary post of Programme Management Officer - P3, that was posted on the UN careers website at: https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=140115&Lang=en-US.

Please help us spread the word about this announcement and encourage qualified candidates to apply.

Thank you and kind regards.

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

Thank you for all your feedback about Map and Country Profiles. We took note of all the comments and will be working on them.

This time we are concentrating on testing another set of Reference Records, namely:

--Biosafety Organization (ORG); and
--Laboratory for detection and identification of LMOs (LAB).

The major change is that in the old/current BCH these two records were part of ONE online and offline format. In the new BCH, they have been split into two. Please watch a short 2 min video which explains the main changes: https://youtu.be/w2srVtdfL8k.

Test Assignment #1: Biosafety Organizations

1. Log in to the SUBMIT section of the test site at: https://bch.cbddev.xyz/
2. Create a biosafety organization. Send it for publishing. Since it is a reference record, it needs to be validated and published by the Secretariat.
3. Once your record is published, go to SEARCH and find your organization.
4. Open the record and examine the display.
5. Test SEARCH interface. Organizations have been migrated from old BCH. By using various filters (on top and/or sub-filters) find an organization in the new BCH that you know exists in the old/current BCH (http://bch.cbd.int/), OR just find any organization in the old/current BCH and try searching for the same organization in the new BCH. Compare the display of results.
6. Reset filters. Test various filters in SEARCH to search for organizations.


Test Assignment #2: Laboratories

1. Log in to the SUBMIT section of the test site at: https://bch.cbddev.xyz/.
2. Create a laboratory: select the existing one or create a new one inline. Send it for publishing. Since it is a reference record, it needs to be validated and published by the Secretariat.
3. Once your record is published, go to SEARCH and find your lab.
4. Open the record and examine the display.
7. Test Search interface. Labs have been migrated from old BCH. By using various filters, find a lab in the new BCH that you know exists (http://bch.cbd.int/), OR just find any lab in the old/current BCH and try searching for the same lab in the new BCH. Compare the display of results.
8. Reset filters. Test various filters in SEARCH to search for different labs.

DEADLINE: Wednesday - 15 July.

Thank you for all your support.

Kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

Thank you for your feedback regarding "Biosafety Organizations" and "Laboratories" online formats.

During the testing process, some confusion arose around the creation of a new LAB.

In this VIDEO, to answer your questions, we try to clarify some issues with respect to the creation of a new LAB (and Organization), the changes we have made, and make a demonstration: https://youtu.be/7K6PcQKouQ4. We hope you will find it helpful.

Thank you for our attention!

Kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH Users,

Thank you very much for participating actively in the testing of the new BCH platform and for all your comments and feedback.

We would just like to give you a bit of an update on our work as a result of the testing process.

When we receive your feedback, we make sure:

-- To fix the technical glitches, connection issues, etc. immediately;
-- Implement the changes that are easy and feasible right away;
-- Keep note of the recommendations that are more technically complicated with the aim of implementing them later on as the work on the migration progresses.

To give you an example of how we have changed the BCH platform based on your feedback, we prepared a video concerning the recently tested “Map and Country Profiles” sections of the new BCH. The video is available here: https://youtu.be/DnK_aLokBnw.

At the beginning, the video explains what has been done, and at the end we list the things that are pending and will be coming in the future.

Thank you for all your support!

More test assignments will be sent out soon.

Kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

Thank you for all your feedback concerning the new "Biosafety Organizations" and "Laboratories" formats.

This time we are concentrating on testing RISK ASSESSMENT (RA) records, namely:

--"Risk Assessment generated by a regulatory process" (which are National Records);
--"Risk Assessment generated by an independent or non-regulatory process" (which are Reference Records).

As you know, “National Records” can be managed by CPB Focal Points, BCH Focal Points and National Authorized Users (NAUs) so the Test Assignment #1 below is for CPB and BCH focal points and NAUs.
“Reference Records” can be submitted by any registered BCH user but must be validated by the Secretariat prior to their publication. So, Test Assignment # 2 is for all registered BCH users (CPB and BCH focal points, NAUs and regular users).


Test Assignment #1: Risk Assessment generated by a regulatory process (for CPB and BCH focal points and NAUs):

IF YOU ARE a CARTAGENA PROTOCOL FOCAL POINT (CPB FP) or a NATIONAL AUTHORIZED USER (NAU), perform the following:

1. Go to https://bch.cbddev.xyz/ and log in to the SUBMIT section.
2. Create a new record: “Risk Assessment generated by a regulatory process”.
3. Once all fields are completed, click on "Publish". Your request will be sent to your BCH Focal Point who will need to approve and publish the record you just created.
4. After the record is published by the BCH Focal Point, go to the SEARCH section and find the RA you have created.
5. Explore the SEARCH interface. Try searching for RA records using various filters.
6. Optional: you can go back to SUBMIT and try editing or deleting your record. But, only the BCH focal point will have the right to approve your changes.

IF YOU ARE a BCH Focal Point, perform the following:

1. Go to https://bch.cbddev.xyz/ and log in to the SUBMIT section.
2. Create a new “Risk Assessment generated by a regulatory process” record. Publish it.
3. Go to the SEARCH section and find the RA you have created.
5. Explore the SEARCH interface. Try searching for RA records using various filters.
6. Go back to SUBMIT and try editing and re-publishing your records. Find the edited record in SEARCH.
7. Explore the SEARCH interface. Try searching for RA records using various filters.
8. Optional: try deleting a record.


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Test Assignment #2: Risk Assessment generated by an independent or non-regulatory process (for EVERYONE: all registered BCH users)

IF YOU ARE A REGISTERED BCH user (any BCH user with an account: focal points, NAUs, general public):

1. Go to https://bch.cbddev.xyz/ and log in to the SUBMIT section.
2. Create a new “Risk Assessment generated by an independent or non-regulatory process” record (try creating reference records inline). Submit it for publishing to the Secretariat. 
3. Once you see that the record is "Published", go to SEARCH and try to find your published record.
4. Explore the SEARCH interface. Try searching for RA records using various filters.
5. Optional: Go back to SUBMIT and try editing your record and then, once your modified record is published by the Secretariat, find your record in the  SEARCH interface again.

DEADLINE: Friday, August 14.

We look forward to receiving your comments.

Thank you and kindest regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

Again, thank you very much for all your feedback for helping us test the new BCH platform.

In this round, we will be testing the:
--Home Page  - the MAP section of it – and
--Country Profiles page.

TEST ASSIGNMENT: test MAP (on Home page) and Country Profiles page.

STEPS:
1. This step is optional. Please watch the informal video, prepared by Secretariat, that gives you an overview of the main features of the Map on the Home page, and of the Country Profiles page. It also explains the test assignment. The video may assist you in testing and it is available here: https://youtu.be/ijPvVC0mAhU.
2. Sign in to the test site: https://bch.cbddev.xyz/
3. Explore the MAP section of the Home Page.
4. Explore the Country Profiles tab and the Country Profile page for your government and other countries. Compare the Country Profiles page in new BCH to the Country Profiles page in the current BCH.
Please keep in mind that the data you see in the test site is not a true reflection of the status of the national records for your government. It is just a test data.

DEADLINE: Monday – June 29th.

We are looking forward to receiving your suggestions, comments. Please send them through this forum or you can also send them to bch@cbd.int.

Thank you for all your support and helping us in testing the new platform.

Kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH Users,

This test assignment is dedicated to the LMO records in the new test site of the BCH platform: submission of LMO records and searching for them.

Steps to perform:

1. Go to: https://bch.cbddev.xyz/. Log in to the SUBMIT section.
2. Create a new LMO record. Within that record, try also creating different records inline to test the inline record creation for that record type.
3. Submit the LMO record for publishing.
LMOs are reference records meaning they need to be validated and published by the Secretariat.
4. After Secretariat publishes your record, find it in SEARCH.
5. Find an LMO record in old BCH and then look for the same record in the new test site in SEARCH; examine and compare the display.

My colleague Austein McLoughlin prepared TWO short VIDEOS to help you orient yourselves better with the testing of the LMO records in the new BCH. Please watch these videos BEFORE you start performing the test. Description of the videos:

First video compares and shows the differences between the creation of LMO records in the old and new BCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH0BYicRdkQ&t=6s

Second video explains how to build a GENETIC ELEMENTS CONSTRUCT (which is part of LMO record creation) in the new BCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wMTYM8SMJ0&t=5s.

We hope you will find the videos helpful and thank you for helping us in testing this important record type.

Deadline: Monday June 8th.

Kind regards.

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

Thank you for taking the time to test the LMO records as explained in my previous message. Please continue to do so. The deadline is June 8th.

We would just like to remind you to test also the “building a genetic elements construct” feature which is part of the LMO record creation.

A genetic construct mirrors the genetic cassettes within the vector or the T-DNA insert and can be recreated in the “Add Construct” field. It is made up of the individual genetic element records that are added in the “Introduced or modified genetic elements”. For example, a promoter, coding sequence and terminator (e.g. CaMV 35S promoter, Cry1Ac, nos terminator). To help you create a genetic construct, we have released a video, which can be found using the following link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wMTYM8SMJ0&t=5s.

Thank you for all your support.

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

Thank you to all who have performed the test on inline record creation and for all your feedback.

To give you more time to perform the test on inline record creation, we are extending the deadline until Wednesday - May 20th.

Just to remind you:

TEST ASSIGNMENT: Create a new “Genetic Element” and then a “Donor organism” inline (within the “Genetic Element” record). Once published, find the records in SEARCH using a combination of filters.

There are TWO videos to illustrate this test: Part 1 and Part 2.

PART 1 covers Steps 1 to 5 below:

STEP 1: Log into test site https://bch.cbddev.xyz/. Click on SUBMIT.
STEP 2: Start creating a new “Genetic element”.
STEP 3: Add a new “Donor organism” by creating it INLINE (without closing your current “Genetic element” record).
STEP 4: Finish registering the “Genetic element” record and submit it for publishing.
STEP 5: Go to Dashboard and check the status  of your created records.

**********

PART 2 covers Steps 6 and 7 below:

STEP 6: Once Secretariat approves your 2 records, log in to the SUBMIT and check the status of the requests on your Dashboard, in Notifications section, Requests and Alerts tab.
STEP 7: Go to SEARCH and find your records by using a combination of filters.

All videos mentioned above are available in the new BCH at this link: https://bch.cbddev.xyz/articles/5eaa095934e536000152ca10

Thank you for helping us in testing the new website.

Kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear BCH users,

As you know, when you create a record in the BCH, you may need to reference it to other records that may have been already published in the BCH or may not. For example, you need to attach additional contact information, or associated laws and guidelines, or LMO records, etc. Inline record creation means you can create additional reference records directly from within the record you are currently registering.
For example, you are creating a CNA and you need to attach an associated measure (laws). If the law is published, you can just select it from the list within the CNA online submission form. But if the measure has not yet been published in the BCH, you can create and publish the measure INLINE without having to close your CNA record as a draft, and then come back to it later.

To demonstrate how this feature works, please perform a simple test below. Please note that this time I tried to do something different and I have created two informal videos to illustrate the steps we would like you to perform in the test below. The test is simple but the videos are a bit long, because I am also covering some other features in them. See explanation below.

The test is for all BCH Registered Users as it deals with the creation of a Reference Record.

TEST ASSIGNMENT: Create a new “Genetic Element” and then a “Donor organism” inline (within the “Genetic Element” record). Once published, find the records in SEARCH using a combination of filters.

There are TWO videos to illustrate this test: Part 1 and Part 2.

PART 1 covers Steps 1 to 5 below and the video is available here:  https://youtu.be/2iq8RDrQrtI.

STEP 1: Log into test site https://bch.cbddev.xyz/. Click on SUBMIT.
STEP 2: Start creating a new “Genetic element”.
STEP 3: Add a new “Donor organism” by creating it INLINE (without closing your current “Genetic element” record).
STEP 4: Finish registering the “Genetic element” record and submit it for publishing.
STEP 5: Go to Dashboard and check the status  of your created records.

**********

PART 2 of the video covers Steps 6 and 7 below and is available here: https://youtu.be/R3rgO6NDcvM.

In this Part I also cover some other features: how to check for notifications about the status of your records; and I give a brief overview of the Search interface with examples.

STEP 6: Once Secretariat approves your 2 records, log in to the SUBMIT and check the status of the requests on your Dashboard, in Notifications section, Requests and Alerts tab.
STEP 7: Go to SEARCH and find your records by using a combination of filters.

Please watch the 2 videos. I apologize for the videos being maybe a bit long (Part 1 is about 16 minutes long, and Part 2 – about 18 minutes long) but I hope you will find them informative, as I provide some additional information in them. In future, we will try to make the videos shorter in length. This is the first attempt!

DEADLINE: Friday – 15th May. Please send us your feedback by that the end of Friday – 15 May.

Please also note that all Help Videos created and that will be created, as well as all help materials are also available on the HOME page of the BCH test site. Just scroll down to ANNUNCEMENTS section and click on the respective box.  Direct link is: https://bch.cbddev.xyz/articles/5eaa095934e536000152ca10.

Thank you for your support and kind regards,

Anastasia

Dear Forum Participants

We are now moving to the second phase of testing which involves more complex record types and not only "National Records" but also "Reference Records".

In this test assignment, we are asking you to test "Reference Records", specifically, the submission of “Organisms” and “Genetic Elements”.

"Reference Records” means that any registered BCH user (does not have to be a BCH focal point or NAU or CPB Focal Point) can create and submit these records for publishing. However, it is only the Secretariat who has the right to validate and publish them.

The purpose of the tests:

1) To test creation, submission of and searching for “Organisms” and “Genetic Elements” records (similar to previous tests).

2) Familiarization and testing of the general workflow of publishing records, specifically, the REJECTION and APPROVAL process. How do you know when your record is approved and how do you know when it was rejected and why. REJECTION means “request for changes”. The REJECTION and APPROVAL process work the same for all types of records, including "National Records". The difference: with respect to "National Records", it is the BCH Focal Point (not the  Secretariat) who has the right to Reject (request changes) or Approve records.

There are 3 TEST ASSIGNMENTS: Test 1 and 2 are for everyone - all regular registered BCH users, including focal points and NAUs. The 3rd test is for BCH, CPB focal points and NAUs only.

Details are in the attached file, which includes screen captures to assist you better.

DEADLINE to finish testing: Wednesday – 6 May.

Please provide feedback on:
1. Submission and Search process with respect to “Organisms” and “Genetic Elements”.
2. Workflow: REJECTION/APPROVAL process.

Thank you for all your support!

Kind regards,

Anastasia