Hello all,
I have seen many programmers create modifications for ANY kind of code base, whether that would be a text-based game (like for most of you reading this) or for an enterprise application. Obviously, most if not all of these modifications are created differently and all of them have a different code base. However, there are some things that you can do as the developer in order to ensure that your modifications come out as anticipated if not even better!
- When request is received, document the request. This is something that I don’t see much if at all anymore. If you are a customer who is requesting a modification from you, wouldn’t you want to know exactly what all the modification involves before they start? Surprises are your worst enemy as a modification creator and documentation will prevent a lot of this surprise from occurring.
- Provide a timeline for this request. If not for your own satisfaction of knowing that you will complete this modification, create a timeline and give this timeline to the customer. Not only will you be happy knowing that you will complete it within the given amount of time, but the customer will have advanced notice of its completion in order to notify their users ahead of time of the upcoming modification, which for all those playing those games is something that is great to hear: a new feature!
- Stick to the timeline. Do NOT be late with the delivery of your modification if unless advanced notice is given to the customer ahead of time of this problem for emergency reasons. You created the timeline, and the customer now has the expectations of you to finish it. So do so!
- Assist the customer in the modification installation. I am very surprised to see how little help there is sometimes with this point. Help your customer out! Customer service can be your greatest asset in receiving new customers, regardless of the number of attempts it took and work it took to get the modification installed appropriately.
- Talk to your customer throughout the modification creation process. Keep the customer updated on your progress! It is a great feeling for a customer knowing that your modification is at a certain step of its creation so that there are no surprises.
- Provide lots of documentation. Again, this is also very surprising to me how little documentation is given for a modification, especially when the customer is paying for it! Give them documentation to work with so that they can understand how the modification works! The more they understand, the better the chance that they will be asking you again for another modification.
This is only a subset of a very long list of things that you can do as a developer in order to ensure your modifications regardless of the amount of code needed will be successful. Now get out there and start your coding! 🙂
Do you have any tips on making great modifications? If you do, leave a comment below!
That’s all for now, until next time…keep that tech gear ticking.
~Goliath7470