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10 Things Your Documentation Plan Should Know
Requirements gathering is a key part of every documentation plan. As well as covering
the schedules, costs, deliverables and roles, you need to list each and every requirement
that your project will encounter.
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A document plan describes how content will be prepared,
delivered and distributed, it captures file format, page count, tools; identifies human,
software, hardware requirements; clarifies roles and responsibilities; prepares schedules
and resource allocation. [Download
Documentation Plan Template Online]
Here are our top 10 requirements for successful
documentation plans:
1. Assign an individual for every
data repository. Identify their roles and responsibilities.
2. Create standard operating procedures (SOPs) for creating, updating and
revising documents.
3. Create a Master Document List. Capture each technical document
your team writes, updates and archives. This single document lists all documents under
change control. For each controlled document listed, the list will capture the Title,
Document Number, Revision Number and Release Date.
4. Identify the software requirements for the project
success; this includes specialized authoring software for creating online help or
content for mobile devices. Ensure that you have covered licensing costs.
5. Identify security issues such as access to building, swipe
cards, access to secure data resources, and travel requirements for international
projects.
6. Create standard operating procedures for identifying and
removing invalid and/or obsolete documents; define procedures for transferring
archived documents to storage facilities.
7. Establish procedures for reviewing and approving documents prior
to issue. Ensure that all documents are updated to reflect revisions.
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8. Identify and retain documents
for legal and/or contractual purposes, for example, to comply with Sarbanes Oxley
requirements.
9. Maintains master documents in a secure environment. Establish
appropriate access controls and disaster recovery procedures.
10. Establish the writer’s requirements,
which is addition to the usual hardware, software, and technical requirements, will
include access to reviewers to provide feedback and commentary on the actual documents.
Failure to capture requirements at the start of a project is likely to jeopardize your
project’s success as documents will come in later, invalid, or incomplete.
Always leave some contingency for items you may have overlooked in your plan.
No one will be upset if you come in before schedule but
there will be little sympathy if you come in late.
Give your project every chance to success.
P.S.
A documentation plan, also known as an information development plan, can
help you manage writing projects, especially those that span several months and require
input from different writers, editors, reviewers and so forth.
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