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Subject:Re: Pages Per Day From:Peter Neilson <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:32:34 -0400
Was there a documentation plan?
In general, the successful projects with which I have been involved have
had a docplan. When the docplan was omitted, by ignorance, by
happenstance or by design, through my fault or through others', success
has been lacking as well.
"The docs will be done in four days," is not a docplan. "I think we all
know what's required," is also not a docplan.
In a well-written world, docplans are the first part of the writing, are
completed and reviewed around the same time that the design specs are
being written (oh, those are being omitted, too?) and actually involve
the writing team. They are occasionally revised, as necessary.
If the world operates on a lower rung, a smaller budget, or a more agile
(or fragile) model, perhaps the writing team are handed a docplan when
they are brought on board, four to six weeks before FCS.
Sometimes, though, the project's ladder was designed by Dante, and the
rungs are even further down. The company has no name, but the writer is
Tina.
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