What is the DesignPLUS performance update?

We’re excited to announce that a new performance update is now available for the DesignPLUS Sidebar!  If you choose to implement this update, DesignPLUS will render dynamic elements faster for students and load the sidebar faster for teachers and designers.

If your institution installed DesignPLUS or upgraded from legacy Design Tools since November 2025, you already have the performance update.  If not, read on to learn more.

Is this update required?

No, this is not a required update.  All current and future DesignPLUS functionality will continue to work without this update.

Can anyone complete the update?

Any institution with DesignPLUS can complete the update, but a Canvas administrator that has permissions to make changes to the Canvas theme is required.

Does this update provide new tools or functionality?

No, this is a performance update and does not include any new tools or functionality for users.

Will the update affect any of our existing content?

No, content you’ve built with DesignPLUS will be unaffected.  The only change will be the speed at which DesignPLUS content loads.

Can I test the update before implementing it in production?

Yes.  In fact, Cidi Labs recommends that you test any changes to the Canvas theme in the test or beta environment first.

What exactly is the update?

The update is a change to your Canvas theme JavaScript desktop file.  It changes the way that the file retrieves the DesignPLUS code.  The update improves the caching for DesignPLUS files which will improve the speed and performance of the product.  You can view exact code snippets in the instructions from our documentation.

Does Cidi Labs have to complete the update or can I do it myself?

We highly recommend you schedule a meeting with us so we can walk you through the whole process, answer any technical questions, and ensure the update is working properly.  However, if you are comfortable editing JavaScript code and would prefer to make the update yourself, you can visit the update documentation for detailed instructions.