In the world of software development, the arrival of a new tool is always met with a mix of excitement and apprehension. Guidewire APD, the new Advanced Product Designer for Cloud, designed to speed up the release of insurance products, is no exception. As a developer, I've had the opportunity to explore this new platform, and I'd like to share my initial impressions.
Firstly, it's clear that the APD Cloud is a work in progress. One of the main issues is the immediate syncing of changes. Despite the ability to check out for editing, you must save after each change. And as you save changes, they become immediately active in the attached environment, which carries significant risk. Additionally, the absence of an 'undo' function is a notable drawback. A design consideration could be introducing a change list, allowing for the bulk application or cancellation of changes.
On the positive side, I found the default setting for the drop-down coverage term useful. It prevented me from accidentally deleting a value, which could have caused unnecessary complications.
The platform's navigation also leaves room for improvement. It's somewhat rudimentary, and the editing space is confined to a small screen fragment. It can confuse what you are editing as there are no distinctive colors for rows or breadcrumbs in the edit window. This makes it a less-than-optimal user experience.
There are other areas where the user experience could be enhanced. For instance, error messages currently do not clear after correcting the error. And the platform does not provide notifications or warnings when an element is deleted. Also, Guidewire APD seems to operate differently when the exported model is executed on a local environment versus on the Cloud environment. We’re not sure why; it’s just an observation.
One drawback is coverage schedules which still need to be supported in APD.
In conclusion, while the Guidewire APD represents an exciting new development in Guidewire's suite of tools, it's clear that it still has some maturing to do. As developers, we eagerly anticipate the evolution of this platform and the enhancements that will undoubtedly come with time.
Danual Lewis
VP of Professional Services
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