Technical documentation can have a huge impact on the success of any platform.
Good software documentation, whether a specifications document for programmers and testers, a technical document for internal users, or software manuals and help files for end users, helps the person working with the software understand its features and functions. Good software documentation is specific, concise, and relevant, providing all the information important to the person using the software.
Technical document development services are offered by Techinform. Our engineers possess the capabilities and technical expertise required to develop and update technical documentation used by customers to perform assigned duties. We work with the client to develop content to be placed in the technical guidance, and deliver a document in compliance with the latest published document type definitions and format regulations. Past deliverables have included:
- Interactive Portable Document Files (iPDF)
- Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) code
- Electronic change page packages
Techinform also possesses the unique skills required to develop a roadmap and provide technical support during the development. A roadmap details the current state of a program and the desired end state. Included in the roadmap is a plan to achieve the end state.
Writing Software Documentation in Agile "Scrum" Teams
“Agile” or “lightweight” techniques are becoming more and more popular for developing new and innovative software projects. In these new contexts, the ways technical documentation is developed have changed quite remarkably.
At least one technical writer is part of each scrum team and follows the development of the product right from the start.
With Scrum, the role of technical writers as part of the development group, can be remarkably more important.
In addition to the actual product documentation (our classic user manuals), our experience can support developers and testers in delivering better project documentation, i.e., software analysis and design papers.
As our primary task, we must ensure that the documentation tasks are properly defined at the beginning of each sprint and then proceed to complete these tasks.
Additionally, we should be willing to help beyond our normal duties: for example, we may proofread a software specification, draw or check a complex UML diagram, or help write a project report, and so on.
Remember that the scrum team can only win or lose as a whole.
Note that, unlike previous techniques, the product documentation is developed from the bottom up, following the releases of the monthly sprints.
Each iteration is supposed to deliver a complete, although possibly minimal product, including documentation.
While staying focused on the individual features being released, we should use our experience to keep in mind the big picture, i.e., the global documentation targets.