Being Agile with Documentation

or…how technical communicators can

survive (and thrive) on Agile Projects

Who am I, and why am I here?

What do you know about Agile…

So… What is Agile?

Individuals and Interactions

over processes and tools

Working Software

over comprehensive documentation

Customer Collaboration

over contract negotiation

Responding to Change

over following a plan

Sustainable Pace

Continuous attention to technical excellence and good

design

Simplicity

Self-Organizing Teams

Reflection and Improvement

But… what does it all mean?

Don’t just do Agile… Be Agile

Now… what does that mean for technical writers?

• writing and editing• document design• using language effectively to

please or persuade (rhetoric)• problem solving• collaboration and teamwork• interpersonal and oral communication• facility with, and ability to learn,

technologies

Adapt your Core Competencies

The biggest difference is the Mindset

Integration with the Development Team

No Prescription for Documentation – so we will have to write our own

Whiteboards…

and Markers… and Cameras… oh my!

“Typical” Agile Requirements Documentation

Create a

new article

for

publishing

Publish an article

to the website

Delete a

publishe

d article

KIS and KIL

and a dollop of Horse Sense

Documentation and Coding should proceed in Parallel

Focus on Users and their Needs

Develop Design Patterns for your Documentation

Sources of Design Patterns

Design for Change

Some resources to check out

Manifesto for Agile Software Development www.agilemanifesto.org

Scott Ambler – Agile Modeling website http://www.agilemodeling.com

WritersUS – Agile Technical Documentationwww.writersua.com

Questions? Discussion?

Thank You

susan.patch@gmail.com