Python Standards Library for TA Department

The Technical Art department had zero Python coding standards or reusable components both at Smilegate and at my Character team in BGE2, leading to inconsistent code quality, duplicated efforts across projects, and significant onboarding time for new team members who had to build everything from scratch. Each TA was writing their own implementations of common functionality, resulting in maintenance nightmares and incompatible tools across the pipeline.

Created a comprehensive Python Standards Library providing standardized templates for PySide6 windows, common utility functions, and UI components specifically tailored for the TA department's needs. The library included:

• Standardized Window Templates: Pre-built PySide6 window classes with consistent styling, docking support, and proper Maya/DCC integration
• Common UI Components: Reusable widgets for file browsing, parameter adjustment, batch processing, and progress tracking
• Utility Functions: Validated functions for common TA tasks like mesh processing, texture handling, and scene management
• Error Handling & Logging: Centralized logging system with debug levels and automatic error reporting
• Documentation Standards: Comprehensive Sphinx documentation with usage examples and best practices
• Code Style Guide: Enforced PEP8 compliance with department-specific conventions

Established the department's first Python standards, reducing new tool development time by 60% and onboarding time for new TAs from weeks to days. The library became the foundation for all subsequent Python tools in the department, ensuring code consistency and maintainability across the team. New team members could now build production-ready tools in their first week instead of spending time recreating basic functionality.

Key Features

• Plug-and-Play Architecture: Modular design allowing TAs to import only what they need
• DCC Agnostic Core: While optimized for Maya/Houdini integration, the core library works across all DCCs
• Automated Testing: Unit tests ensuring reliability across different environments
• Version Control Integration: Git-based workflow with semantic versioning
• Living Documentation: Auto-generated docs from docstrings, always up-to-date

This library transformed the department from ad-hoc scripting to professional software development, setting the foundation for more complex tools and pipelines.