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

over processes and tools

Working Software over comprehensive documentation

over comprehensive documentation

Customer Collaboration over contract negotiation

over contract negotiation

Responding to Change over following a plan

over following a plan

Sustainable Pace Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design

Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design

Simplicity Self-Organizing Teams Reflection and Improvement

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

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

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!

and Markers… and Cameras… oh my!

“Typical” Agile Requirements Documentation Create a new article for publishing Publish an article to the website Delete a published article

KIS and KIL and a dollop of Horse Sense

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 Documentation www.writersua.com

Manifesto for Agile Software Development www.agilemanifesto.org

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

WritersUS – Agile Technical Documentation www.writersua.com

Questions? Discussion?

Thank You [email_address]