This article covers technical writing and discusses how the writing process is adapted to accommodate different stages of the needs and requirements of the software development life cycle (SDLC).
Although there are many steps in SDLC, this article lists only the important stages of SDLC. Are
1. Requirements meeting
2. Analysis and design
3. Coding
4. Code review and testing phase
5. Release (Alpha and Beta versions)
6. Maintenance
Each software project has its own custom SDLC framework.
All versions of the proprietary framework depend on the basic structure of the older SDLC framework.
Just as every software project depends on SDLC, in the same way, every documentation project also depends on the Document Development Life Cycle (DDLC). The DDLC framework is divided into the following steps.
1. Understand the requirements of the product / project
2. Carrying out audience analysis
3. Decide on output formats (.PDF, online help) and documentation deliverables
4. Reset documentation and graphical tools
5. Compilation of documents of origin or base
6. Template design
7. Schedule and estimate
8. Identification of subject matter experts (SMEs) and contact points
9. Identification of editorial, technical and peer reviewers
10. Creation of the documentation plan
11. Draft table of contents (TOC)
12. Content development
13. Management of revision cycles
14. Incorporation of review comments
15. Final result
All the above steps of the DDLC framework can be summarized into five subcategories, which in turn can be assigned to each step of SDLC. The five summarized subcategories are
1. Preparation of the Documentation Plan
2. Writing the content
3. Content review
4. Delivery of documents
5. Document maintenance
Since each documentation project in the software field depends on the corresponding project / product, the SDLC framework of the same must be mapped with the DDLC of the corresponding documentation project.
SDLC mapping vs. DDLC
1. Analysis and preparation of the documentation plan design
2. Coding Content writing
3. Code review and testing phase Review content
4. Release (Alpha and Beta versions) Publication of the document
5. Maintenance of maintenance documents (incorporating improvements and modifications of functionality)
As you can see from the mapping above, each process in SDLC maps with the corresponding process in DDLC. Most companies, especially product companies, want the documentation ready by the time the product hits the market.
For companies that follow the Agile methodology, when the product is in the development stage, there will be frequent improvements, fixes, etc., during each iteration. Just as changes are incorporated in the code, in the same way, changes must be made in the corresponding documentation to keep the deliverables updated according to customer / market requirements.