RE: How to estimate documentation needs?

["Sharon Burton" <sharon -at- anthrobytes -dot- com>]

Write an information flow and personas during this period.

The information flow is the big picture of the flow of information at each
step - this is going to identify for you where and information is moving and
should also tell you when and what docs are needed.

Personas fall out of where the information is and who is using it.

These may also lead to scenarios, which are also very useful.

All these docs are useful to the company, as they identify who and how as
well as document how the information is moving thru the system. It may
clarify for them how the system works.

I'd start there, anyway.

sharon

Sharon Burton
951-369-8590


-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+sharon=anthrobytes -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+sharon=anthrobytes -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]On
Behalf Of Petko M
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 1:05 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: How to estimate documentation needs?



Guys,

What would be your approach to estimating the documentation needs for
somebody
who has developed a product but has no user documentation for it and has no
clear idea what this documentation should be?

[snip]

Now, with regards to all this, I have two questions:

1. What would be your approach to estimating the documentation needs for
such a
prospect?
(Of course, a lot depends on the specifics, but what I am asking here is
about
the general approach and guidelines.)

2. How do you handle the initial non-productive period when staring a new
gig
so that your client/boss does not get nervous waiting for your output?
(Sure, this initial period is the most crucial part of a project since your
whole understanding of the product depends on it and the longer this period
is
the better documentation will be produced, but surprisingly often this is
quite
hard to grasp for the person who signs your paycheck and they insist on your
becoming productive as soon as possible.)

Petko M

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