Signing in
KPD runs on the web. Sign in with your beta username and the designer opens in your browser: there is nothing to install.
What you need
| Notes | |
|---|---|
| A username | Ask for access on the beta’s Request access page. When you’re approved you’re emailed a username. |
| The beta password | One password shared by everyone in the current beta round, sent with your username. |
| A computer with an up-to-date browser | Chrome or Edge 111+, Firefox 121+ or Safari 16.2+, on a laptop or desktop with a mouse or trackpad. Check your browser before you sign in if you’re not sure. |
No Node.js, Java, Docker, Kafka cluster or admin rights are needed. KPD runs on the beta server; your browser just shows it.
Signing in and out
- Open the beta’s Sign in page.
- Enter your username and the beta password, then choose Sign in.
- KPD opens. The first time, it shows the Retail Orders Platform sample; use File → Open project… for the fuller Inclined Labs sample. See Sample projects.
Who you’re signed in as shows at the bottom right of KPD, beside Goals and Sign out. A sign-in lasts the working day. If it ends while KPD is open, a card tells you: copy anything you haven’t saved, then sign in again.
Your designer
When you open KPD, the beta starts a copy of it just for you, your designer. It closes by itself after about half an hour without use, and starts again when you come back. Save your work as you go (Ctrl/⌘+S), or tick File → Auto save to have unsaved pipelines saved every five minutes (see Auto save).
Where your work is kept
Projects are kept in the beta’s shared repository on the server, so everyone in the beta can open them, including yours. That makes it easy to look at each other’s designs, but it means:
- Don’t put confidential client material in the beta. Use made-up names, or the sample projects.
- The last save wins. If someone else has a pipeline you have open, a card says so; agree who saves before you both edit. If your save lands on top of someone else’s newer one, you’re both told.
- To keep a copy of your own, use Export project (.zip). File → Import project (.zip) brings a project zip back in as a new project. See Project files and folders.
- Projects are for design work. A project holds only KPD’s own files (pipelines, storyboards, schemas and KPD’s exports), within size limits, so it can’t be used to store other files. Using the beta means you agree to the terms of use.
Messages from the beta
While you work, KPD may show you:
- a message from the developer in the middle of the screen, such as what’s new in this round. Close it with Got it; you only see each one once;
- a small note in the corner, and replies to your feedback, with its status;
- now and then, one quick question scored 1 to 5. Answer it or skip it; it’s only asked once.
None of these appear in workshop mode, so nothing pops up in front of a client.
This round’s goals
Goals, at the bottom right of KPD, opens the beta’s goals page: the bugs being fixed this round, what’s being added, and where your testing helps most. Found something? Use Help → Send feedback.
This user guide
Open it from Help → User guide in KPD, or from the beta website’s menu. You don’t need to be signed in to read it. Search it with the box at the top of the menu, or /.