RE: Avoiding documentation bottlenecks while maintaining quality

[Documentation Doctor <documentationdoctor -at- googlemail -dot- com>]

IME, problems with documentation delivery start somewhere during software
development.

Often nothing gets finalised until the last moment, nothing is written down,
or if it is, it's a spaghetti of discussion documents, and the people who
know what the software really does are too busy running around fighting
fires to answer questions. 

Techwriters aren't - as a rule - telepathic. Nor are we allowed to go in
like an pulp-era gumshoe and beat the answers out of the development team
(though God knows, it's tempting sometimes).

So, ways to avoid bottlenecks include insisting:
- The development process involves proper functional specifications. (By
"proper", I mean ones which clearly indicate what decisions have been taken,
and state what the new features do. They might even include use cases and
scenarios. A folder containing three-years of emails is not a spec.)
- There are feature freezes.
- Developers produce screenshots early (a bonus is that these can be checked
for English and consistent terminology, bless 'em).
- Product experts will be available towards the end of the process, and this
is identified as one of their critical deliverables.

However, really, the documentation is as much part of the product as the UI.
The developers need a hard deadline to leave time at the end of the project
so that the documentation can be finalized and checked. 

Martin 
www.documentationdoctor.co.uk








> -----Original Message-----
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> techwr-l-bounces+documentationdoctor=googlemail -dot- com -at- lists -dot- tech
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> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+documentationdoctor=googlemail -dot- com -at- li
> sts.techwr-l.com] On Behalf Of SB
> Sent: 22 September 2007 11:31
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Avoiding documentation bottlenecks while maintaining quality
> 
> Our company is growing extremely fast. Most of the time, we 
> have to write the documentation pretty much while the product 
> is being developed and undergoes quality assurance.
> 
> Prioritization is generally set by the Marketing Manager. The 
> documentation is one of the requirements for product delivery 
> and many products are being developed simultaneously. 
> Documentation is often becoming a bottleneck.
> 
> What is the best way to meet the deadlines (management-wise) 
> without sacrificing quality or contents and without being a 
> slave driver? How do I avoid bottlenecks and get the work 
> done well and efficiently?
> 
> I guess we probably need more Technical Writers. I do face 
> resistance and sometimes I too am resistant too because I 
> feel that the document is not ready or good enough. Do I want 
> to have my cake and eat it too?
> 
> When do you decide that a document is good enough and make 
> your "staff"
> understand that the documentation is part of the product 
> requirement and that documentation cannot be a bottleneck.
> 
> I don't want to be a slave driver but do want to be able to 
> meet the deadlines. It is really not good when a product 
> cannot be delivered and the company loses money because the 
> documentation is not ready.
> 
> Any input on how to optimize work (and management) would be 
> greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Sylvia
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