Submitting Development Requests

Learn how to write effective development requests that get implemented correctly.

Starting a Request

Method 1: From the Portal

1. Navigate to Sites → Your Site → Development Requests
2. Click + New Request
3. Fill in the form
4. Submit

Method 2: Quick Action

1. Click + New Dev Request from any page
2. Select the target site
3. Fill in details
4. Submit

The Request Form

Title

A short, descriptive title for the request.

Good titles:

• "Add testimonials section to home page"
• "Create new services page"
• "Update footer contact information"

Bad titles:

• "Website changes"
• "Fix stuff"
• "Update"

Description

The heart of your request. Describe what you want in detail.

Include:

• What page(s) to modify
• What should change
• Visual details (colors, sizes, layouts)
• Content to include
• Reference examples or inspiration

Example:

## What I want

Add a testimonials section to the home page, below the features section.

## Layout

3 testimonial cards in a row:
- Customer photo (circular, 80px)
- Quote text (italic)
- Customer name and company

## Content

### Testimonial 1
- Photo: [link or describe]
- Quote: "Working with this team transformed our business..."
- Name: John Smith, CEO of TechCorp

### Testimonial 2
[...]

## Styling
- Background: Light gray (#f5f5f5)
- Card background: White with subtle shadow
- Quote text: Dark gray, 16px

Site Selection

Choose which site this request is for. If you manage multiple sites, make sure to select the correct one.

Priority

Select the urgency:

Priority	Expected Turnaround
Low	1-2 weeks
Normal	3-5 days
High	1-2 days
Urgent	Same day if possible

Note

Priority affects queue ordering but does not guarantee turnaround time.

Include Pending Text Overrides

If you have unsaved text overrides, you can include them in the request:

1. Check "Include pending text overrides"
2. The overrides will be committed with the development work
3. Ensures text changes deploy with related features

AI Analysis

After submitting, AI analyzes your request:

What It Determines

• Automation Potential — Can this be fully automated?
• Request Type — Widget, page, layout, etc.
• Version Bump — Patch, minor, or major change
• Complexity — Simple, moderate, or complex

Analysis Results

You'll see the analysis before the request is routed:

✅ This request can be fully automated
📦 Type: New Widget
📊 Version: Minor bump (1.2.0 → 1.3.0)
🚀 Estimated: 1-2 hours implementation time

After Submission

Request Status

Your request moves through these stages:

1. Submitted — Being analyzed
2. Queued — Waiting for earlier requests
3. Routed — GitHub issue created
4. In Progress — Copilot is implementing

GitHub Integration

A GitHub issue is created with:

• Your description
• System metadata
• Labels for automation
• Assigned to GitHub Copilot

Notifications

You'll receive notifications when:

• Analysis is complete
• Implementation starts
• Review is ready
• Deployment completes

Tips for Better Requests

Use Specific Language

Instead of...	Say...
"Make it prettier"	"Add more whitespace and use softer colors"
"Fix the layout"	"Center the content and add 20px padding"
"Update the header"	"Change header text from 'Welcome' to 'Hello'"

Provide Visual References

• Link to similar websites
• Attach sketches or wireframes
• Reference existing elements on your site
• Use specific color codes (#3b82f6, not "blue")

Break Down Complex Requests

Large requests should be split:

Original:

"Create an about page with team section, company history timeline, values statement, and contact form"

Better:

1. "Create about page with company overview section"
2. "Add team members grid to about page"
3. "Add company history timeline to about page"
4. "Add contact form to about page"

Check Existing Features

Before requesting:

• Can this be done with text overrides?
• Is there an existing component to modify?
• Is this already on the roadmap?

Common Request Examples

Add a New Section

Add a "Why Choose Us" section to the home page after the hero.

Layout: 4 icons in a row with titles and descriptions below each.

Content:
1. 🚀 Fast Delivery - "Get results in days, not months"
2. 💰 Cost Effective - "Enterprise quality at startup prices"
3. 🛡️ Secure - "Bank-grade security built in"
4. 🤝 Supportive - "24/7 human support"

Style: White background, icons in brand blue color.

Create a New Page

Create a new "Pricing" page accessible from the main navigation.

Include:
- Hero with headline "Simple, Transparent Pricing"
- 3 pricing tiers in cards: Starter ($29/mo), Professional ($99/mo), Enterprise (Contact us)
- FAQ section below pricing
- CTA to contact sales

Link: Add to main navigation between "Services" and "About"

Modify Existing Component

Update the footer:

Changes:
- Add Instagram icon next to Twitter and Facebook
- Update copyright year to 2024
- Add "Privacy Policy" and "Terms of Service" links
- Change background from black to dark blue (#1e3a5f)

Next Steps

• Tracking Progress — Monitor your requests
• Approving Changes — Review implementations
• What are Dev Requests? — Understand the system