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We operate a web application that is about to get two big updates. One is styling; although all fields, buttons and elements stay in the same place, the application will get a big redesign. The second is a performance upgrade. Certain frequently used parts of the application became slow over-time, and that'll get a significant boost as well. (Performance is something our customers tend to complain about.)

Both updates are ready. We just have to launch them.

What yields the best response? A major update at once or two significant ones in successive weeks?

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  • Is there likely to be any great change to the workflows? If the answer is 'no' then you could conceivably push both updates as one. However, it might be worth pushing them individually anyway as that will make it easier to roll back any errors without getting confused about whats caused them. May 31, 2017 at 6:56

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Depends on how you are rolling it out

  • If it a major upgrade (like from 7.8 to 7.9), then package both the updates and roll it out together. People expect to see visible change in the application in this case (like improved performance, change in UI, added features)
  • If it is a minor upgrade (like 7.8.3 to 7.8.4), then keep them separate. It helps generate more targeted feedback (like UI change update would give get you feedback specifically related to that even if you don't ask for it specifically because increase/decrease of traffic/usage would indicate that)
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  • It's a web application by the way, there's no sizes or downloads. Does that make a difference in your judgment?
    – Sherlock
    May 31, 2017 at 7:15
  • Not much. If the point is to get specific feedback without having a targeted feedback mechanism, segmented updates come in handy. Packaged updates mean co-dependence of all the elements. So, if your UI changes and the backend update were to improve the user experience, keeping them together makes sense May 31, 2017 at 7:31
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So if I understand this correctly the second update just boosts the performance and does no other changes -> so they End-User would see no difference (except for the application to be faster).

If yes, then I have to agree with @Shreyas: If there was an update for an app I want to SEE changes, some users may not even see a difference in the boost but surely one in the design.

Imo it is better to launch both updates at once - "a new design and it gets faster" - I think users will like the new design (even) more if the old issues with the performance also gets fixed.

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