Chapter 3: Packaging the Installation

Overview

Creating a professional installation package can be as important as creating the defect free software product it installs . It is the first impression you create with end users as they install your product on their computers for the first time. Creating a professional installation package takes preparation and planning.

Solid planning done from the beginning of the project leads to a smooth deployment of your solutions. Constant communications with your customer throughout the development and testing phases of the software engineering cycle increases your customer ‚ s outlook, builds trust that your product is going to meet or exceed their needs, and increases the anticipation for the delivery of the product. As the development winds down and the customer prepares to perform acceptance testing, developers need to focus on what it takes to package up the installation setup.

There are many questions that need to be answered , like when is it ready to ship, what needs to be shipped to the clients , what features and schemes for deployment need to be packaged, what utilities need to be sent to the client to make support easier in the future, and how will the installation package be shipped to the customers. This chapter attempts to address each of these issues.