Alpha testing at SolidWorks World

On Wednesday, we'll reveal some of the new features in store for SolidWorks 2014, which will be released this fall. But there are some people getting an advance look today. Who are these lucky people? They're alpha testers.

Alpha testing

Every year, the SolidWorks Product Definition team sets up in a private room. They arrive with laptops loaded up with new features planned for the next version of SolidWorks, and as the day progresses, a steady stream of SolidWorks users comes in to test them out. Each member of the Product Definition team specializes in certain areas of the software (drawings, assemblies, rendering, etc) and sets up scenarios that each user goes through in order to simulate real-world conditions, and see if the features work for real users.

As users go through the new features, the SolidWorks team takes notes, asks questions, and gets a good idea of what works and what doesn't. And when SolidWorks World is over, the team goes back to the office and uses what they've learned to makes any tweaks or changes that might be needed.

If you're interested in being an alpha tester for future versions of SolidWorks, get in touch with your SolidWorks reseller and ask them to submit your name to the Product Definition team as a candidate. It's a great way to help shape the future of the SolidWorks software, and also get a look at what's coming before everyone else.

***

Want to try out SolidWorks? You can request a free SolidWorks trial on our website.

Want to see how SolidWorks can help you win new business and get to market faster? Request a SolidWorks demo today.

Matthew West

SolidWorks alumnus. I like plate reverb, Rat pedals, Thai curry, New Weird fiction, my kids, Vespas, Jazzmasters, my wife & Raiders of the Lost Ark. Not necessarily in that order.