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Subject:RE: Version control for technical specifications? From:"LeVie, Donald S" <donald -dot- s -dot- levie -at- intel -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 7 Mar 2001 05:04:14 -0800
re: Spec change requests
We use Documentum for managing version/change control for our specs. Our
specs go through a rigorous document inspection method (which I wrote about
back in November for the TECHWR_L website) that classifies "defects" as
being "High," "Moderate," and "Low." Most of the Low defects relate to
style, grammar use, template irregularities, etc. Once a spec reaches
version 1.0 and is locked in, any changes to the technical content must be
preceded by an engineering change order (ECO). Prior to that version, it's
not necessary.
In a nutshell, it looks like this:
1. First draft edit: all document authors check in files to Documentum for
first draft edit and creation of Frame and PDF book for review
2. Second draft edit: happens AFTER the section(s) have been inspected and
corrections to content have been made by inspection team (usually the
section author and other SMEs plus the tech writer). Each section is checked
in as it is finished for intermediate draft edit. Once all sections have
been inspected, checked in, and edited, books are regenerated.
3. Third-draft edit: Those sections requiring additional changes (based on
latest product design information) undergo a final edit after being checked
in to Documentum. The resulting books are Version 1.0
All sections are then checked out by tech pubs until the books (Frame and
PDF) are verified to be "clean." Any changes to Version 1.0 require ECOs.
The publications team is immune from having to submit ECOs.
Donn Le Vie
Information Engineering
Network Communications Group
Wireless Communications and Computing Group
Intel Corporation
IPCC 01, the IEEE International Professional Communication Conference,
October 24-27, 2001 at historic La Fonda in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
CALL FOR PAPERS OPEN UNTIL MARCH 15. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
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