Re: ISO9000 Standards for Technical Documetation

[Damien Braniff <Damien_Braniff -at- PAC -dot- CO -dot- UK>]

There ARE standards for writing software documentation but they aren't
directly related to ISO 9000.  As others have stated ISO 9000 is a
procedural standard and you can fit almost anything into it.  Simply
(very!), you write your procedures to describe what you do and then follow
them.  The procedures are regularly audited and should be updated regularly
as you find better ways to do what you're doing - this can be
manufacturing, coding, virtually anything.  When you're audited against ISO
9000 you are essentially being audited against your procedures.  In truth,
ISO 9000 as such isn't about quality but consistency.  You can be producing
total rubbish and still have ISO 9000 - all it means is that you will
consistently produce rubbish!.  However, used properly, it can be a useful
tool in improving your procedures and hence, hopefully, the quality of your
product - whatever it might be.

Re standards for documentation I know of several British standards (not
sure if there is ISO equivalents):

   BS 7469: Guide to the design and preparation of documenation for users
   of application software

   BS 4884: Tech Manuals - Part 1: Specification for presentation of
   essential information

                          Part 2: Guide to content

                          Part 3: Guide to presentation

   BS 7830: Guide to the design and preparation of on-screen documentation
   for users of application software

There are others but those are the ones I have to hand.  You might like to
try the following web sites:

   www.istc.org.uk

   www.petecom.co.uk

I think both of these also list standards.

It's quite feasible to tie any of these standards into your ISO 9000 system
- manuals will be written to standard BS xxxxx



Hope this helps



Damien Braniff
Technical Author
PAC International


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