[EPIC] Flipper audit -Identify and remove unnecessary Flippers

[dsinla]

Description

All the detail in previous ticket: Follow up from #10350

List of flippers and owners: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yQb5oDshNj7y0nvtF3PaZ9OLhtTuZ2aO8t4_n51YBWU/edit#gid=237722104

Tracking here for at-a-glance status

Number	Flipper	Status	Decision	Ticket for removal
1	covid_vaccine_scheduling_frontend	INVESTIGATED	REMOVE
2	facilities_locator_mobile_covid_online_scheduling	TBD		#11588
3	facilities_ppms_suppress_all		KEEP	#11589
4	facilities_ppms_suppress_community_care		KEEP	#11590
5	facilities_ppms_suppress_pharmacies		KEEP	#11591
6	facility_locator_covid_vaccine_walk_in_availability_text_frontend	TBD
7	facility_locator_lat_long_only	INVESTIGATED	REMOVE
8	facility_locator_predictive_location_search	INVESTIGATED	REMOVE
9	facility_locator_show_operational_hours_special_instructions	INVESTIGATED	REMOVE
10	facility_locator_lighthouse_covid_vaccine_query	TBD		#11592
11	facility_locator_ppms_forced_unique_id	TBD		#11593
12	facility_locator_ppms_legacy_urgent_care_to_pos_locator	TBD		#11594
13	facility_locator_pull_operating_status_from_lighthouse	TBD		#11595
14	facility_locator_rails_engine	TBD		#11596
15	facility_locator_restore_community_care_pagination	TBD		#11597
16	facility_locator_show_community_cares	INVESTIGATED	REMOVAL IN PROGRESS	#11598 #14112
17	facility_locator_show_health_connect_number	TBD		#11599
18	show_expandable_vamc_alert	TBD		#11600
19	caregiver_use_facilities_API	INVESTIGATED	KEEP	#11601

Acceptance Criteria

• Flippers owned by Facilities have been identified and evaluated
• Flippers that are no longer required are removed

[dsinla]

@dsinla Walk through spreadsheet for what Facilities own, spin up individual tickets. Discuss in detail at PO sync.

[dsinla]

Message sent to @jilladams to get the master list

[jilladams]

The doc we created when went through the lists together is an XLS in sharepoint now, as that's the only way to share spreadsheets with Dave: https://dvagov-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/jill_adams1_va_gov/EWJYp5QIYQ5Bng7ynlMX9hIBxXjsVBNANaugiektKZ1fcQ

https://dsva.slack.com/archives/C52CL1PKQ/p1663958562870949

[jilladams]

Apologies for the confusion today - Google sheet link was added to our ticket, not yours.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yQb5oDshNj7y0nvtF3PaZ9OLhtTuZ2aO8t4_n51YBWU/edit#gid=237722104

Updated the related slack thread for the histories as well.

[dsinla]

thanks @jilladams
@maxx1128 please take a look - looks like ~20 items.

[maxx1128]

Thanks @jilladams! Going to tackle these

• caregiver_use_facilities_API
• covid_vaccine_scheduling_frontend
• facilities_locator_mobile_covid_online_scheduling
• facilities_ppms_suppress_all
• facilities_ppms_suppress_community_care
• facilities_ppms_suppress_pharmacies
• facility_locator_covid_vaccine_walk_in_availability_text_frontend
• facility_locator_lat_long_only
• facility_locator_predictive_location_search
• facility_locator_show_operational_hours_special_instructions

[maxx1128]

Thanks @jilladams! Going to tackle these

• caregiver_use_facilities_API
• covid_vaccine_scheduling_frontend
• facilities_locator_mobile_covid_online_scheduling
• facilities_ppms_suppress_all
• facilities_ppms_suppress_community_care
• facilities_ppms_suppress_pharmacies
• facility_locator_covid_vaccine_walk_in_availability_text_frontend
• facility_locator_lat_long_only
• facility_locator_predictive_location_search
• facility_locator_show_operational_hours_special_instructions

Sorry for the delay, I looked through the Facilities flippers for which ones can be safely removed. These aren't being used on the front end so they can safely be removed:

• facility_locator_covid_vaccine_walk_in_availability_text_frontend
• facilities_locator_mobile_covid_online_scheduling

[dsinla]

@maxx1128 @jilladams Does Facilities perform the removal? - or do we request some other team to remove?

[jilladams]

Facilities owns the code / downstream impact for those flippers, so can remove any that you're confident are ready to be removed.

[dsinla]

@maxx1128 do you feel confident to remove the flippers? Do you want to run it by @swirtSJW for a quick sanity check first?

[dsinla]

These must stay (we know they're in active use):

• facilities_ppms_suppress_all
• facilities_ppms_suppress_community_care
• facilities_ppms_suppress_pharmacies

Likley not owned by facilities: ?

• caregiver_use_facilities_API

Check with Michele Middaugh - what's the history here:

• facility_locator_lat_long_only
• facility_locator_predictive_location_search

[maxx1128]

@dsinla I just finished looking more into the two feature flags that needed more investigation and I could do right away, covid_vaccine_scheduling_frontend and facility_locator_show_operational_hours_special_instructions.

The functionality connected to both flags, COVID scheduling, and operational hour special instructions, have extra checks that ensure the info/functionality is first available before showing them. So if they were removed, the code would always let the info/functionality be shown if it was set. If they're ready to be turned on for everyone, then removing their code is a relatively easy change. I don't know if doing this would require any extra approval or if it's already been decided.

Long story short - the code around these flags should prevent any errors if they're removed from the code and will be easy to remove. The big question is just if everyone should be allowed to see it yet.

[dsinla]

@maxx1128 Thanks for investigating. Regarding:
If they're ready to be turned on for everyone, then removing their code is a relatively easy change.
I'm not sure who everyone is in this scenario. Let's discuss in 16th minute with the rest of the dev team tomorrow

[mmiddaugh]

@dsinla

• re: facility_locator_predictive_location_search - this was added to support a feature which was explored but ultimately not implemented
  • Reference Implement UI for predictive geolocation prototype #11090

[mmiddaugh]

@dsinla

• re: facility_locator_lat_long_only- I believe this was turned off after an unexpected consequence was identified
  • Reference Front end to send lat/long for queries (1a)

[maxx1128]

Initial investigative report on three of the feature flags cc: @dsinla

covid_vaccine_scheduling_frontend

Status: Off
Issue: #22760
Ticket Author: Michelle Middaugh
Code Author: Michael Pelz-Sherman
Purpose: Only show COVID vaccine scheduling in facilities that allow it as a service through VAOS.

facility_locator_show_operational_hours_special_instructions

Status: Off
Issue: #19615
Ticket Author: Michelle Middaugh
Code Author: Gilbran
Purpose: Special language for facility hours can be added in Lighthouse. There are four potential special instructions to add, and multiple can be added.

caregiver_use_facilities_API

Status: Off
Issue: #26246
Ticket Author: Chris Dyer
Code Author: Matt Long
Purpose: Let users select the most relevant VA Medical Facility with a Caregiver Support Coordinator so they can participate in the PCAFC (couldn't find this acronym).

[dsinla]

Thanks @maxx1128

In comments above @mmiddaugh indicates thatfacility_locator_lat_long_onlyand facility_locator_predictive_location_search were never implemented or turned on, so it seems conclusive that you can remove them.

Note: PCAFC = Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers from https://www.caregiver.va.gov/support/support_benefits.asp

[dsinla]

Quick chat with @mmiddaugh she will take a look at covid_vaccine_scheduling_frontend

[mmiddaugh]

It looks like Max has investigated the flag for covid_vaccine_scheduling_frontend. This is another situation where the functionality was built but only briefly implemented. In this case, I believe this was waiting for backend integration with VAOS. Meanwhile, the need for appointments was quickly replaced by access to vaccines on a walk-in basis so the functionality was retained but behind a flipper.

[dsinla]

Thanks @mmiddaugh! I think i was confusing some of the very-similar names, but would like you to weigh in on one more: facility_locator_show_operational_hours_special_instructions

@maxx1128 has investigated, identified you as the owner (at one point). As with covid_vaccine_scheduling_frontend we want someone with more background to weigh in before we remove it.

[davidmpickett]

@jilladams I'm confused why this is in the Current Sprint, Not started column for Facilities. Seems like a mistake

[jilladams]

Yep, something got weird in workflow connections between boards, thanks for flagging. removing.