Define the comparison criteria
Identify the properties to compare
Choose the ordering direction
Implement the comparison logic
Return a negative value if the first item is less than the second
Return zero if both items are equal
Return a positive value if the first item is greater than the second
Handle null or missing values consistently
Ensure the comparison is transitive
Ensure the comparison is antisymmetric
Ensure the comparison is consistent with equality
Test the comparator with sample data
Use the comparator in sorting or ordering operations