Project: Refactor BLT Website to Combine Companies and Teams into Organizations

Project Overview:

The Refactor to Organizations project aims to streamline the user experience on the BLT (Bug Logging Tool) platform by combining the existing "Companies" and "Teams" features into a unified "Organizations" structure. This refactor will simplify the navigation and management of entities on the platform, enhance collaboration within and between different groups, and provide a more cohesive structure for users to interact with.

Objectives:

1. Unified Structure: Merge the "Companies" and "Teams" features into a single "Organizations" entity that represents any group, whether it's a company, team, or community, making it easier for users to manage and participate in these groups.

2. Enhanced Collaboration: Provide tools within the "Organizations" structure that support better collaboration, such as shared dashboards, project tracking, and communication features.

3. Simplified User Experience: Refactor the UI and navigation to reduce complexity, ensuring that users can easily find and interact with their respective organizations without confusion between companies and teams.

4. Scalable Architecture: Design the new "Organizations" structure to be scalable, allowing it to accommodate a growing number of users and entities without performance degradation.

Key Features:

1. Organization Dashboard: A centralized dashboard where users can see all their affiliated organizations, access shared resources, and monitor ongoing projects.

2. Role-Based Access Control: Implement granular permissions within organizations, allowing for different roles such as Admin, Member, and Contributor, to manage access to various features and data.

3. Activity Streams: Provide activity logs and streams for each organization, showing recent contributions, updates, and communications within the group.

4. Integration with Existing Features: Ensure that all current functionalities linked to companies and teams, such as bug reporting, points accumulation, and leaderboard participation, are seamlessly integrated into the new "Organizations" model.

5. Migration Tool: Develop a migration tool that automatically transitions existing companies and teams into the new "Organizations" structure, preserving data, memberships, and histories.

Implementation Steps:

1. Analysis and Planning:

   • Conduct a detailed analysis of the current "Companies" and "Teams" features, identifying key similarities and differences.
   • Design a comprehensive plan to unify these into a single "Organizations" entity, including a new database schema and updated UI/UX designs.

2. Database Refactoring:

   • Modify the database to support the "Organizations" structure, ensuring that all relevant data is migrated and restructured accordingly.
   • Implement role-based access control at the database level.

3. Frontend Refactor:

   • Update the UI to reflect the new "Organizations" structure, including the development of a new dashboard, updated navigation menus, and refactored pages for viewing and managing organizations.
   • Ensure all links and references to "Companies" and "Teams" are updated to "Organizations."

4. Backend Refactor:

   • Modify backend logic to support the new unified model, including updates to API endpoints, business logic, and service layers.
   • Ensure that all backend processes that were previously distinct for companies and teams are consolidated and optimized.

5. Testing and Quality Assurance:

   • Conduct thorough testing of the new "Organizations" structure, including unit tests, integration tests, and user acceptance testing.
   • Validate the migration tool by running it in a staging environment before deploying it to production.

6. Deployment and Rollout:

   • Deploy the new "Organizations" structure to production in phases, starting with the migration of data followed by enabling the new frontend and backend systems.
   • Monitor the rollout closely to address any issues promptly and ensure a smooth transition for all users.

7. Post-Deployment Support:

   • Provide support and documentation for users to help them understand and navigate the new "Organizations" structure.
   • Collect feedback and make iterative improvements based on user experience.

Summary:

The Refactor to Organizations project is a strategic initiative to unify the "Companies" and "Teams" features on the BLT platform into a single "Organizations" structure. This change will simplify the user experience, enhance collaboration, and create a scalable system that can grow with the platform. By consolidating these entities, BLT will provide a more intuitive and powerful interface for managing groups and fostering community engagement in the bug logging ecosystem.