CWS-CARES Public Library

Shaping CWS-CARES through Testing

Monday, 29 Dec 2025
The CWS-CARES Project is in an important phase of hands-on testing. Recent usability testing provided insight into system design, and the next major milestone, Extended User Scenario Testing (EUST 3), is coming in early 2026. Together, these efforts help prepare CWS-CARES for Version 1 (V1) Go-Live.
A Look Back at Usability Testing ​

From October – December, the project conducted two Usability Testing Periods with a subset of counties that had previously participated in EUST 2.  These smaller sessions provided an early look at how new CWS-CARES functionality feels to real users and supported logistics and scenario planning for EUST 3. ​

During these periods, county testers worked through targeted tasks in the CWS-CARES Staging Environment and shared feedback on navigation, workflow clarity, and overall user experience. At this time, feedback resulting from usability testing is unlikely to be addressed during EUST 3 and will instead inform overall CWS-CARES development over time. The primary value of these periods was feedback on scenario steps, testing processes, and Structured Decision Making (SDM) assessments, and user flows, which is informing refinement to the EUST 3 testing approach, scenario design and training preparation. ​

Preparing for Extended User Scenario Testing (EUST) 3​

EUST 3 is scheduled for February 2 through April 3, 2026, with Admin Console Testing from January 20-30. During EUST 3, participants will complete real-world, end-to-end scenarios that span multiple CWS-CARES service areas to assess system readiness ahead of CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live. 

EUST 3 Timeline at a Glance

Activity ​

Training Dates ​

Testing Dates ​

Admin Console  ​

January 12 – 16, 2026 ​

January 20 – 30, 2026 ​

EUST 3 ​

January 13 – February 20, 2026 ​

February 2 – April 3, 2026 ​

EUST 3R (Reporting) ​

February 17 – 20, 2026 ​

February 23 – April 3, 2026 ​
 

An EUST 3 Kickoff Session was held on January 6, 2026 to review expectations, key dates, and where participants can find support. A full kickoff communication will also be distributed in early January with additional details to guide the testing period. ​

Thank you to all participants for your continued engagement and contributions. Your involvement is essential to shaping CWS-CARES as we move toward V1 Go-Live. For questions, please contact the CWS-CARES EUST Mailbox.

Originally published in the CWS-CARES Explorer.

Service Areas and Milestones