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LCS - Getting started with a new application

To step a developer through creating an application, with the potential of being released LIVE to Production.

Is Low Code Solutions right for me?

  1. The Low Code Solutions tool is called Betty Blocks.
  2. As presented on Is Low Code Solutions right for me? page on the LCS website, Betty Blocks is ideal for developing applications of low-medium complexity. The table on the webpage outlines what types of features and development work are feasible using Betty Blocks along with an estimate of their relative complexity, expertise needed, and development time.

Have you completed training?

  1. The Want to Get Started using Betty Blocks page from the Low Code Solutions team offers information on what to expect, the expertise and time commitment for the Low Code Solution service team's training on Betty Blocks.

Submit an Intake request

  1. From the Low Code Solutions Interest form, select Requesting an application (built by myself or my unit).
    1. If you have not gone through the Betty Blocks training and attestation, the service team will guide you through that process before an application will be created.
    2. If you have gone through the training, in the intake request please include:
      1. Business need(s) you are trying to meet
      2. Anticipated users of the application (e.g. students, admission staff, public) 
      3. Whether the application will need emailing capabilities
      4. Type of data, if the application will intergrate data with which system(s), and data retention needs
  2. The LCS service team or your Org Admin will then contact you and walk through the next several steps with you.

Name your application

  1. The LCS service team or your Org Admin will request the name of your application. Please refer to the LCS - Naming Conventions for Applications
  2. Two sandbox levels will be automatically created for you; -DEV or -UAT as indicated in the best practice for SDLC document.
  3. Your new application will be added to the IT Inventory. Expect to respond with the application name, description of the purpose, plus data input/output will be entered, contact information, etc. Developers should work with the service team member or Org Admin to complete this submission.

Emailing configurations 

  1. If your application will be sending email notifications to anyone, indicate in the request form so that SMTP configurations are set up to use the default email:  no-reply-low-code-solutions@doit.wisc.edu. 
  2. Once the configuration is in place, follow LCS - Email set-up within an application on how to change the Email Action(s) to suit your specific needs.   

Data requests 

  1. If your application needs to pull data from an external data source, you will need to get approval from the appropriate data manager. 
  2. Steps to take can be found in LCS - Data usage and approval in Betty Blocks 

Logins required 

  1. Any application that may receive or present moderate or high risk data (see here for data classifications) or if the application user will need to return to the application to edit or see additional information, every application user will need to have a NetID and access via Single Sign On (SSO). LCS - Adding users to an application that don't have NetIDs  
  2. The service team will need to enter the OIDC configuration information for the IAM group per application. Please allow 5-6 business days for thi set-up to be completed by all teams. 
  3. Manifest groups will need to be created for each type of logging-in application user. Those groups will be mapped 1:1 to one of the roles within the application. 
  4. See LCS - Configuration of Manifest groups for application role mapping that describes how to set up and map the Manifest groups. 

URL Hostname/SSL certificate preparation 

  1. A separate SSL certificate will need to be generated for each application such that the application has a Hostname URL with wisc.edu that will be utilized by the application users to reach the application. If Hostname URL isn't changed, the application will utilize the application identifier which ends with .betty.app.
  2. See LCS - Add a custom hostname in Betty Blocks and LCS - Request and setup a SSL certificate that describes how to set up the URL and SSL certificate. This process can take up to two weeks or more, so it is recommended to begin this process well before go-live.

Review your application for accessibility

  1. Review the Betty Blocks Accessibility and Usability Information KB to ensure you have an understanding of potential barriers to accessibility.
    1. Review the Digital accessibility @ UW-Madison webpage for additional information on the Digital Accessibility Policy
  2. Run an accessibility check on your application using the recommended WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool.

Getting ready to release your application (Production-live) 

  1. Follow LCS - Best Practices for the Software Development Lifecycle(SDLC) in Betty Blocks for UAT testing. 
  2. Separation of duties: Per UW cybersecurity, applications should be released by a person other than the developer allowing for review. Therefore, any application or application update made live (e.g. Production environment with a live status), should be done by a person other than the primary developer of the application 



Keywordsnew application, template, IT inventory   Doc ID135785
OwnerJeanne H.GroupLow Code Solutions
Created2024-03-01 11:32:12Updated2024-06-12 13:52:31
SitesDoIT Enterprise Business Systems - Low Code Solutions
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