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Subject:SDLC and the role of Tech.Writer From:aoslick -at- hteinc -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 22 Apr 2002 08:58:34 -0600
C.S. Rajan raised a basic question the role(s) of technical writers who
work in software development houses. GSN Rajan has already responded with
a solid overview of the role we could play in each SDLC phase.
Whether or not we play such a role depends in large part on what Jennifer
Carey referred to as the culture of the organization. I take that to mean
to the extent technical writers/documentation staff are viewed part of the
development team, we can perform and contribute in all the phases and ways
cited by GSN Rajan. Firms that seek ISO and/or CMM certification
necessarily recognize the importance of proper process documentation.
Keeping the tech writers isolated from the developers (common to many
firms, at least in the U.S.A.) would seem to provide a barrier to
effective documentation.
Let me venture a hypothesis: the more customer-oriented a software
development firm, the more likely it is to include its documentation
specialists in its development team (whether as full or auxiliary
members).
(I admit that I don't know how to gather the evidence to test these
qualitative variables!)
Regards, Alan
aoslick -at- hteinc -dot- com
HTE, Inc. - Vienna, Va.
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