By: Kayla Nguyen on Dec 10, 2024
At Byte, a high service level is key to our partnerships. When we deliver a website or project, we also include an issues system that helps us track and solve issues that arise over time, and respond to general questions and best practice requests.
Over time, we noticed some common themes in our support tickets - many of the issues raised could actually be resolved through clearer, more accessible, and more informative documentation. With over 10 years of client-reported issues in our database, we saw an opportunity to use this valuable data to improve our documentation. This led to the creation of a new Issues Explorer, an internal tool designed to track recurring issues and link them to relevant documentation to improve both our support and internal workflows.
The Challenge: Why We Needed a Better Documentation System?
Before the Issues Explorer, our documentation had several pain points:
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Accessibility Issues
Clients often submitted support tickets for questions that were already answered in the documentation. However, the documentation was difficult to navigate, and clients struggled to find relevant answers, leading to frustration and repeated queries.
Example: Clients would often ask how to change the branch’s hours in the CMS, something well-documented, but hard to find or understand. -
Documentation Gaps
Although our documentation was comprehensive, it was often incomplete and poorly organized. Some topics were missing details, while others were buried under unrelated information, making it hard for both clients and the internal team to find the answers they needed. -
Lack of Insight into Client Needs
We had no clear way to track which documentation sections clients found confusing or frequently referenced. This lack of insight made it difficult to identify where improvements were needed.
The Idea: Creating the Issues Explorer
We realized we needed a tool that could directly tie recurring client issues to specific documentation articles. The idea was simple:
- Track client issues: Capture recurring problems and link them to documentation.
- Identify documentation gaps: Spot sections of the documentation that caused confusion or weren’t effective.
- Enable cross-team collaboration: Allow support, development, and product team members to collaborate and keep documentation up-to-date in real time.
By building the Issues Explorer, we aimed to reduce support tickets, improve documentation clarity, and enhance the client experience by making it easier to find solutions independently.
Planning the Tool: Concept to Design
Defining Key Features
We started by defining the core features that the Issues Explorer would need to address the pain points we identified:
- Issue Tracking: Capture recurring client issues and link them to relevant documentation, highlighting where clients struggle
- Documentation Insights: Track which parts of documentation are most accessed or causing confusion, helping us identify areas for improvement
- Searchable Interface: Provide an easy-to-use search tool for internal teams to find issues, detect patterns, and access relevant content
- Real-time Collaboration: Enable cross-departmental collaboration, allowing teams to update documentation based on recurring issues
Wireframing and Prototyping
Once the features were defined, we began sketching wireframes and prototypes for the Issues Explorer. These early designs focused on ease of use, making sure that support staff, developers, and product managers could navigate the tool seamlessly. Feedback from the cross-functional team was integral in refining these early versions, ensuring that the tool would meet the needs of all users.
 Initial prototype |
 Final prototype |
Building the Tool: Development and Iteration
Choosing Technologies
To build the Issues Explorer, we chose a technology stack that would provide both flexibility and scalability. We used Vue.js for the front-end to build a dynamic and responsive interface, PHP for the back-end to handle data processing and integration with our existing systems, and Quasar framework to design a consistent and intuitive user interface. The tool was integrated with our company’s internal database, which allowed us to track client issues and support tickets.
Collaboration Between Team Members
Throughout the development process, collaboration was key. The support team provided valuable insights into recurring client issues, while developers focused on technical implementation. Regular check-ins helped keep everyone aligned and allowed us to address any roadblocks quickly.
Challenges and Solutions
During development, we encountered several challenges, particularly around integrating the tool with other internal systems, such as our ticketing database. There were also decisions to be made about prioritizing features, as new ideas and enhancements emerged during development. Using an iterative approach and working closely across teams helped us resolve these issues.
Launching the Issues Explorer: First Impressions and Feedback
Once launched internally, the Issues Explorer was tested by team members. The initial feedback highlighted areas for improvement, such as:
- Enhanced search filters to make it easier to find specific issues
- Improved categorization of issues by type, allowing team members to better group and track recurring problems
- Expanded reporting features, enabling teams to track trends in client issues over time
These updates helped improve the tool’s functionality, making it even more effective at identifying and addressing issues.
Adjustment on Search function: Search by keywords/IDs/front end/back end URLs
Adjustment on Advanced Search function: Giving hints to team members
Features and Capabilities of the “Issues Explorer”
The Issues Explorer offers several key features to improve efficiency:
- Easy navigation: A simple interface for quick access to issues, bug reports, and documentation
- Documentation Management: Helps track, update, and improve documentation based on recurring issues
- Real-Time Collaboration: Allows teams to quickly share insights and update content
- Intuitive UI: Designed for quick access to relevant issues and solutions
With these features, the Issues Explorer streamlines both client support and documentation management. By linking recurring client issues to relevant documentation, we reduce the number of support requests and empower clients to solve problems independently, ultimately improving their experience. The tool also centralizes client issues and documentation for internal teams, making collaboration faster and more efficient.
The Road Ahead: Continuous Improvement and Future Updates
We’re committed to continuously improving the Issues Explorer based on ongoing feedback. Future updates will focus on:
Deeper analytics to track trends in client issues and measure the effectiveness of documentation improvements.
Enhanced reporting features to help anticipate client needs and improve proactive issue resolution.
Encouraging wider adoption across the team will increase the tool’s effectiveness, driving better collaboration, faster issue resolution, and continuous documentation improvements.
The Collaboration Journey
Building the Issues Explorer has been a journey of collaboration, iteration, and a commitment to improving both internal workflows and the service we provide to our clients. The tool has already proven its value by streamlining documentation, enhancing communication, and helping us resolve client issues faster and more accurately. As we continue to refine and improve it, we’re excited about the future possibilities and how it will support our team in delivering even better service.