Product Documentation Process Infosys Technologies Ltd. Bangalore

Agenda Product documentation processes Synergizing documentation process with product development cycle Product development processes Static v/s dynamic product documentation Results Life cycle

Two sides of the ladder Product Development Cycle Documentation Cycle Client meeting Software requirements High level design stage Low level design stage Coding Testing Testing fixes Product release Product closure activities No direct involvement Offline review Participating review Analysis and draft stage Reviews/rework Reconciliation in manuals Documentation release Project closure activities

Client Meeting No direct involvement Product Schedule Doc Schedule Software Requirements Offline review Understand product functionality

High Level Design (HLD) Is a macro-level blue print of the project Developers are more open to suggestions Active participation Doc team is aware of the functionality of the product Inputs to create user friendly interface Product Schedule Doc Schedule Low Level Design (LLD) Micro-level design specs for coding Start analysis Knowledge gaining cycle is complete Develop analysis document

Analysis - crucially important Involves understanding the functionality and its translation into user manual/s Writing the analysis document Exact content of user manuals User interface screens Descriptions of screens/fields in a screen, their significance and usage Conceptual explanation

Analysis - Plus Points Reduces cycle time and effort redundancy for authors Helps maintain consistency across manuals Reduces review time of each manual/s for engineering group A tech review of the analysis doc traps mistakes in understanding / communication of functionality early in the life cycle

Coding Draft Analysis document is the base Prepare skeletal structure Prepare draft of manual Product Schedule Doc Schedule Testing Review and Rework Ideally: 2 tech reviews - Engg. Team / User Education Team 1 Self Review, 1 Intra-group Review Rework by author

Accuracy of technical functionality Gaps in information Clarity of writing Logical sequence of information Compliance with doc standards Accuracy of screens and field descriptions Formatting, style of writing Grammatical errors Missing / repetition of information Tech Review ChecksIntra Group Review Checks Self Review Checks

Testing fixes Reconciliation in manuals Doc testing may be taken up by Product Testing Team Defects / bugs trapped before the client receives the product Discrepancies between software and documentation spotted Authors rework the documentation Documentation in required media productionized Product Schedule Doc Schedule Product Release Documentation Release Software released to the customer

One product version One documentation version Product Schedule Doc Schedule Static Product Dynamic Product Product Version Maintenance releases Major product release Documentation Version Release notes only Updated documentation release (with previous release notes reconciled)

Qualitative & Quantitative Results The process results in Knowledge sharing Domain enriched writers Increased accountability for the end product Concise, comprehensive, user-friendly documentation User-oriented testing Fewer customer help desk calls

To Summarize Process - Product v/s documentation Analysis Draft preparation Reviews Rework Version control management Signoff with acceptable results User acceptance