4.1 Survey the existing landscape

  • Be sure that the package doesn’t overlap too much with existing packages:
    • Is there an existing package that does what you need?
    • Could you contribute to a similar, existing package to add the functionality you need?

List of packages on CRAN

  • Payoffs:
    • Product: your life will be better when this functionality is implemented formally, in a package.
    • Process: greater mastery of R will make you more effective in your work.