The workflow related to a Z-Bounty starts when somebody submits a feature request, and ends with the release of a solution for it, as further detailed below.
Submit a feature request
Some registered user submits a feature request (e.g. via eMail, via our issue tracking system, etc), similar to any of those (don't worry if right now you don't understand all the details and/or technical terms used in the requests):
- Extend Create memberlists to improve Xnode processing to also support promote/demote (which potentially suffers similar performance problems because of all the ')DOT's in it). Or further enhance this solution to implement a technique to perform a selective backout (Note: yes there is a way to even do this, something that it is on the official ChangeMan ZMF enhancement list since the very first global ChangeMan ZMF conference back in 6/1991...!).
- Enhance Verify and allocate promo, baseline and prod DSNs in appl admin so that library type ADM is NOT a sacred library type anymore for this (already great!) solution to work.
- Provide an XML based variation of Checkout the results of a scan.
Discuss the feature
The Dr.Chgman development team will then discuss the feature request about how to best proceed regarding the implementation of the request, and how it is done best. After approval / clarification from someone with the appropriate role in the development team, the feature request is transformed into a solution in status "solution requested", and becomes part of the Dr.Chgman roadmap.
Find funding for the feature
The user who initiated the feature request, as well as any other user of the Z-Bounties system, could then proceed to place a Z-Bounty (a monetary reward) on that task. Such Z-Bounty is an incentive to increase the development (and delivery) of the requested feature. All Z-Bounties are viewable by authorized users and the total adds up with every posted Z-Bounty.
Develop the feature
Once the development of a solution is actually started, the status of the solution changes to "solution in progress". After the developer completes the solution, the status of the solution changes to "solution resolved". After QA-testing the solution (by another member of the development team), the user who requested the feature (as well as any other interested user) might be asked to perform beta-testing of (a limited version of) the solution also. Should any issues need to be addressed, the solution changes to "QA-testing failed".
Release the feature
After both the QA-testing and beta testing completed successfully, the solution changes to "solution in verified" and the monetary reward related to the Z-bounty is charged to all users who placed a Z-Bounty. After all payments of the Z-Bounties are received, the solution is officially released by the release manager (under the software license decided by the development team).