Beginning a Documentation Project

In the Beginning …

Starting a documentation project is like opening a box filled with puzzle pieces and trying to figure out if you have all the right pieces for the right picture without knowing how many pieces make up the puzzle and what the picture looks like.

Getting clearer? I thought so.

There are so many variables when considering a documentation project:

1. The user
2. The user’s work area
3. The application’s longevity
4. Future updates
5. Company mission
6. Attitudes
7. Line of the planets during a winter solstice

Ok, so I added an extra one or two variables that probably don’t really count, but if you think about it, aren’t there a lot of decisions made during a documentation project that are based on something equally as illogical? Most technical writers learn from experience that the documentation needs of a company are as fragile as a butterfly’s wings. One good swipe of an accountant’s pen across a project’s budget and you can find yourself grounded -- without project.

The more organized you are in the beginning, the easier you can help the project manager or yourself make a case for keeping documentation within the project’s boundaries and avoid those inevitable budget cuts.

Know The Players

Find out everything you can about the project. If it’s a complex project that includes documentation, research the other sub-projects. Talk with these team leaders and get an understanding of management philosophy and project longevity. Ask these questions:

1. How long have they been working on the project?
2. How long has the project been on the board?
3. Who are the subject matter experts?
4. Is there a stable target release date?
5. What have been their biggest issues?
6. How have they resolved them?

If you’re working on a separate project, you may be creating a new form of documentation for an existing product or updating outdated documentation. In either case, research the product. Find users and talk to them about using the product and/or existing documentation. Locate all current documentation on the product and review it thoroughly.

Find out who is going to review the documentation and on

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