Agile programming has grown in popularity, and it has lead to new challenges for those involved in providing User Assistance for those applications. So is it time for Technical Authors to develop an equivalent method for developing content for these projects? Is it time to develop an “Agile authoring” methodology? Such a method needs to… Read more »
Category: project management
Free ebook on applying Lean principles in User Assistance
The Content Development team at Cherryleaf has created a a free eBook that provides help and advice on applying Lean principles to User Assistance. This short ebook explains how the principles of Lean manufacturing can be applied to developing software User Assistance and other forms of technical documentation. Lean is the parent/cousin of Agile Development,… Read more »
The Lean user guide
It was suggested I read The Lean Startup, by Eric Riess. This book outlines how principles of Lean manufacturing can be applied to startup businesses, and software businesses in particular. For startups, it’s about how to figure out the right thing to build – that people will pay for – as quickly as possible. I’m still reading it, and so far, it is very good.
It begs the question:
Where does user documentation fit in a Lean startup, and can the principles of Lean be applied to User Assistance?
Why Technical Authors make the best Project Managers for Agile projects
Red Gate Software’s Dominic Smith mentioned in his presentation at UAEurope conference that the company had found Technical Authors were ideally suited to take on the role of Project Manager for small Agile software development projects. In fact, Red Gate had morphed most of its Technical Authors into to a hybrid Project Manager role. Dominic made a… Read more »
Do you need a Documentation Manager when Technical Authors are embedded into Agile project teams?
Earlier this week, I was asked my opinion on whether a Documentation Manager was needed when the individual Technical Authors are embedded into Agile project teams. My response was that a Documentation Manager mainly provides people management, project management, process management and content management. If a Technical Author is a member of a software project… Read more »