Overview
When customers spot issues, they often struggle to describe them clearly. A vague "it's not working" isn't enough for engineering to reproduce, and giving customers direct access to internal ticketing systems is neither secure nor practical.
With Encatch's annotation module (beta), select users can enrich their feedback with screenshots, videos, and visual markers — without ever touching Jira, GitHub, or Zendesk. They capture what they see, product teams receive context-rich reports, and customers still get status updates on progress.
The Challenge
- Customers struggle to explain visual/UI bugs - Vague descriptions like "it's not working" provide insufficient context
- Product/engineering teams waste time asking for clarification - Back-and-forth communication delays resolution
- Giving external users access to Jira, GitHub, or other ticketing systems is not secure - Internal tools must remain protected
- Customers rarely know what happened to their report - Lack of transparency leads to frustration
The Solution: Encatch's Annotation Module
Encatch's annotation module bridges the gap: it empowers beta users to provide detailed, visual feedback while ensuring internal tools remain secure.
Step 1: Select Beta Users
- Only a curated group of customers or testers get access to the annotation feature
- This keeps input structured and avoids overwhelming teams with noise
Step 2: Enriched Feedback Capture
Users report issues via the in-app widget. They can attach:
- Screenshots with highlights and arrows - Point directly to problematic UI elements
- Short video recordings - Capture the problem in action
- Markers/pins pointing at UI elements - Provide precise location context
This creates high-fidelity bug reports with rich context.
Step 3: Feedback Routed into Encatch
The annotated feedback lands in Encatch as a structured record. Behind the scenes, Encatch's direct integrations push this enriched feedback into:
- Jira for engineering teams
- GitLab for development tracking
- Webhooks for custom integrations with Slack, Zendesk, or other tools
But external users never see these tools directly.
Step 4: Transparent Status Tracking
Instead of exposing internal ticketing systems, Encatch provides a status tracker to beta users:
Reported → In Review → In Progress → Resolved
Beta users can follow the lifecycle of their submission without visibility into internal workflows.
Example Workflow
Trigger: New annotated feedback in Encatch
Steps:
- Encatch automatically creates a Jira ticket with attached screenshots/video
- Webhook notification sent to Slack for product team awareness
- Encatch updates the feedback record with Jira issue link (internal only)
- Status automatically updates in Encatch for the beta user to track
The Results
- Richer feedback: Screenshots and videos eliminate back-and-forth
- Secure workflows: External users don't touch internal tools
- Transparency for testers: Beta users see progress updates
- Efficiency for teams: Engineers get reproduction steps instantly, product can prioritize faster
Business Impact
For Product Teams
- Faster bug reproduction with visual context
- Reduced support tickets through better initial reports
- Improved prioritization with clear impact visualization
- Better user experience through faster issue resolution
For Beta Users
- Clear communication of issues without technical jargon
- Transparency into issue resolution progress
- Empowerment to contribute to product improvement
- Reduced frustration from unclear feedback processes
For Engineering Teams
- Detailed reproduction steps from visual evidence
- Reduced investigation time with context-rich reports
- Better debugging with precise issue location
- Faster resolution through clear problem understanding
Key Success Factors
- Curated Beta Group: Carefully selected users who provide valuable feedback
- Intuitive Interface: Easy-to-use annotation tools that don't require training
- Seamless Integration: Automatic routing to appropriate internal systems
- Transparent Communication: Clear status updates without exposing internal processes
- Security First: External users never access internal tools directly
Conclusion
With the annotation module, Encatch turns beta users into co-creators, giving them tools to express issues clearly while shielding internal systems. Teams get clarity, customers get transparency, and the product improves faster than ever.
The annotation module represents a new paradigm in customer feedback - one where users can communicate complex visual issues as easily as they can describe them, while maintaining the security and efficiency that modern development teams require.