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In that case, I'd say that your customer ("COTS") documentation should
include whatever descriptive, operational, maintenance, and troubleshooting
information your customers might reasonably be expected to use or need. I
would expect that you would also do a "pass through" of any third party
software or hardware module documentation that came from someone whose
product is included within your own. (In some industries, customers
interact with the product more deeply than in others, needless to say. The
better you know your customers and what they REALLY do w/r/t/ your
equipment, the better you can judge what they need, and justify what you
provide.)
I know this is a nebulous answer, but maybe someone else will have some
additional insights. Basically, it boils down to "if you've got it, and the
customers need it, then give it to 'em. If not (on either count), then at
best it's a trade-off: the cost of providing it vs. the value added."
Good luck,
SRH
> Scott -
>
> We're dealing with electronic equipment, specifically the materials
> handling industry. Basically there is a discrepancy in what we consider
> COTS and what one of our customers does. I am trying to determine if the
> information contained in our operations and technical manuals meets the
> "standard" for a COTS product. That's why I asked if there is a group of
> items/information generally considered to be necessary in COTS
> documentation.
>
> Kate Skilton
> Engineering Technical Writer
> knskilt -at- accusort -dot- com
>
> >>> Scott Havens <SHavens -at- Elcotel -dot- com> 11:05:10 AM 7/15/99 >>>
> I think you need to specify the type of business/product you're dealing
> with
> before anyone can answer the question very well. What's COTS in one
> industry may be nothing like COTS in another! Could we get more info?
>
> SRH
>
> > Hello All -
> >
> > I was wondering if anyone out there knew if there was any kind of a
> > standard set up defining what exactly is contained in COTS
> > documentation. Or, is it merely a term used by a company to state
> what
> > is considered standard for them?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Kate Skilton
> >
