Technical writing is one of the primary and vital processes leading the software development process. It bases the development process and continues till release, same as project management processes embody whole software development. Technical writing can also be undertaken by project management for a better synergy among all of the activities from scratch till end. In this article, we discuss technical writing process from the project management perspective.
Define the Startup
To embark on technical writing it is necessary to have basic understanding of the project and necessary knowledge along with the initial requirements for the project. In general following are the activities to be performed.
Look at the Big Picture - it is quite essential to have overall idea of the project and the work to be done. Primarily, it requires envisaging whole system so that it gives a clear picture of what is going to be the final product and how different information flows are going on.
Collect General Requirements - collection of initially available general requirements help to build system snapshot and to discover more detailed requirements. These requirements actually define overall system functionality in brief and lately become as major modules.
Look for a Development Strategy - it is equally important to determine the development strategy so that the technical writer is accommodated in an appropriate place among the developers.
Understanding Startup Requirements - in technical writing the most important factor is the understanding of user requirements because the consistency is the only way to survive in technical documentation. Thus, having well understood requirements is very important.
Enforce Planning
To ensure a systematic and orderly execution of various activities involved in technical writing in junction with other software development processes, plan document is the only source. Proper planning helps to identify possible shortcomings and strategies to overcome afflicted situations. Following are the activities needed to be considered in planning for technical writing.
Identify Stakeholders - In a project usually various stakeholders are involved and they directly or indirectly influence the project. Proper classification of the stakeholders is beneficial so that information sources are identified for the preparation of technical documentation for the project.
Define a Roadmap - it is more about organizing technical writing project in a systematic way by defining the flow of activities to be performed in an order. The roadmap should reflect some sequence of activities similar to work break down structure.
Specify Detailed Requirements - each task and requirement is to be explained completely with all of its stimulus/response. Generally, requirements are mostly explored and detailed specification about each of the desired functionality is documented.
Estimate Time and Effort - one of the core activities of project management is to estimate time and efforts required for each activity. It is also to be sought while writing technical documentation for the project.
Execute Plan
Planning is just not enough; plan must be put in action. Each of the activity must strictly follow the plan document and consume the estimated time and efforts. Following a plan and compliance of all of the tasks, bring tremendous benefits throughout the project life cycle.
Management
Management is a command and control process. It keeps track of each activity such that the conformance and deviation from the plan. It also monitors the plan documents for any possible adjustment to baseline various tasks.
Indeed, technical writing is a complicated job and requires sufficient analysis, planning, research and management of all such activities. It has several aspect common with project management, hence combined with several project management process along with other software development processes can be very effective and rewarding.
