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Subject:Software development: they must let us in! From:Peggy Thomson <Peggy_Thompson -at- CCMAIL -dot- OSTI -dot- GOV> Date:Thu, 24 Aug 1995 11:08:00 -0400
I'm real concerned about this picture we're all painting of
communication lapses between software developers and
documenters. It is a widespread problem, one I struggle with
daily.
The only real solutions are
(1) for the developers to put solid work methodologies in place,
like those espoused by the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering
Institute
(2) for the documentation team to be *formally and fully
integrated* into the development picture--with standard means of
communicating between developers and writers; feature freeze
dates to keep the manual drafts and developing system in sync
(we are TERRIBLE at this); and a development methodology for
writers that parallels the software dev process
We can't keep eavesdropping and providing "fidget toys" (cute)
for programmers as our means of gleaning information (though
these activities certainly have their place.) The developers
have got to get their acts together, and the documenters, too,
and both have to be operating as a fully integrated team
following DOCUMENTED, REPEATABLE PROCESSES.
Whew, the air is thin up here on the soap box! You folks have a
great day. I empathize completely with your struggles, and share
them. Best of luck to you, and I'd like to hear more about how
to handle all this.
