You can fund a prioritized addition to the MDriven Framework when your project needs a generally useful capability on a defined timeline.
What a user-paid extension is
A user-paid extension is an agreed addition to the MDriven Framework that you finance because you have a current business need for it. MDriven evaluates the request, provides a fixed-price estimate when the extension is a good fit, and delivers the work in a new MDriven release.
The resulting capability becomes part of the Framework. It is not exclusive to the financing customer.
For example, if your stakeholders need a Framework capability that does not exist today and cannot wait for general product prioritization, you can ask MDriven to assess and estimate that capability. After delivery, you verify that the released feature meets the agreed need.
When to use this approach
Use a user-paid extension when all of the following are true:
- You can describe the required Framework capability clearly enough for MDriven to assess it.
- Your project has a business case and needs the capability now.
- Your stakeholders accept that the delivered work will become part of the MDriven Framework and will not be exclusive to your organization.
- You want MDriven to prioritize the work and deliver it at the fixed price stated in the accepted estimate.
Do not use this process for every customization. If the requirement is functionality that can be expressed as part of your model, consider the User-Paid Model Snippet service instead. A model snippet is delivered as model functionality that you merge into and evolve with your own model.
If your need is to record additional metadata on model elements, first evaluate tag extensions. For example, you can define a tag for a class or association and use that information in generated code or model tooling, rather than requesting a new Framework feature. See Catching more information in your model.
Process
- Describe the need to your stakeholders. State the business problem, the expected behavior, and why the capability is needed on your timeline. Include examples, screenshots, or model examples where they clarify the requirement.
- Ask MDriven for an estimate. Submit the feature description and request an assessment of adding it to the Framework.
- Review the assessment. If MDriven considers the request a good addition to the Framework, MDriven provides a fixed-price estimate. If it is not a good fit, MDriven explains why.
- Obtain stakeholder approval. Ensure that the stakeholders accept the price and the shared nature of the outcome: the completed work will be part of the Framework, with no exclusivity for the financer.
- Order the extension. After acceptance, MDriven prioritizes the work for delivery as a new MDriven release at the fixed price in the estimate.
- Verify the delivered feature. As the financer, you receive the first versions to check that the feature is what you ordered and that it meets your stated needs.
- Adopt the release. Once delivered, the feature is available as part of the MDriven Framework for all users.
Prepare a request that can be estimated
A request is easier to assess when it describes outcomes rather than only a proposed implementation. Include:
| Include | What to describe | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Business need | The problem and who is affected. | "Administrators need to identify ordered associations in the model because the ordering is otherwise easy to overlook." |
| Expected behavior | What you expect users or the Framework to do. | "Show a visual indicator when an association is ordered." |
| Scope | The model elements, scenarios, and limits involved. | "The indicator applies to ordered associations; it must be visible when reviewing the model." |
| Verification criteria | How you will determine whether the delivery meets the need. | "In the delivered version, an ordered association can be recognized from its visual indicator." |
Keep the request focused on the required outcome. MDriven decides whether and how the requirement fits the Framework.
Important expectations
- An estimate is provided when MDriven judges the proposed extension to be a good fit for the Framework.
- The accepted estimate sets a fixed price for the extension work.
- The financer receives early versions for verification.
- The result is a Framework addition delivered in a new MDriven release.
- Funding the work does not grant exclusive ownership or exclusive use of the resulting Framework feature.
Choose the right path
| Need | Recommended path |
|---|---|
| A generally useful capability must be added to the MDriven Framework on your project timeline. | Use a user-paid extension. |
| You need reusable model functionality that you can merge into your own model and later modify. | Use User-Paid Model Snippet. |
| You need to mark classes, associations, or other model elements with project-specific metadata. | Use tag extensions. |