TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Baker
> Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 2:48 PM
> To: TECHWR-L
> Subject: Re: IT documentation
>
> ... Agile development simply rejects the notion that
> you should
> design the system in detail on paper before any kind of
> coding begins...
That "notion" is a straw man -- did any of us suggest it? A "system
overview" is not the same as a detailed spec.
The article blurs the distinction between intracode and extracode
documentation. If the developers are unduly burdened by design docs, it's a
sign that managers, developers, and writers aren't working well together.
Managers and writers should help maximize the amount of time that developers
spend coding.