Doc Plan Example

This documentation plan combines aspects of what JoAnn Hackos calls

Information Plan

Project Plan

Documentation Plan (Version 2)
Documenting Software with Hypersnap-DX
Revision History
Version 2, June 16, 2000, more complete
Version 1, June 10, 2000, bare bones
Primary Author
Thomas Albert
Roles and Responsibilities
Primary Author: Thomas Albert
Documentation Project Manager: Thomas Albert
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): (engineering, tech support, QA, marketing, project management, BOM production)
Reviewers: Technical Communicators in EDP 314237
Goals and Objectives
To document the concepts, procedures, and reference material that enable the audience to quickly and effectively use the screen capture and image editing features of HyperSnap-DX.
Audience Definition
Technical communicators (or software developers) documenting the user interface of a software application. I assume that the audience is able to use Windows, a web browser, and an authoring tool, such as Word or FrameMaker.
Audience Task Analysis
A user installs the product over the web, creates screenshots, saves screenshots, converts screenshot files from one format to another, crops and resizes screenshots.
Description of the Product
The document is about Hyperionics HyperSnap-DX, a utility (available at http://www.hyperionics.com) for screen capture, image format conversion, image resizing, and minor image manipulation.
Scope Definition for the Document
This documents covers concepts, procedures, and reference information essential to using the product quickly and efficiently. The following are OUTSIDE THE SCOPE of this document: installing the product (a separate task that Hypersnap's existing documentation covers clearly); operating system details, such as how to use a mouse; authoring tool details, such as how to insert screenshots into documents.
Media Selection for the Document
To maximize availability and the ability to use the document in the context of the audience's working environment, this document will be delivered in HTML.
Estimated Costs
One writer, ten weeks, and $25 for HyperSnap-DX (there is a free version, but it shows advertisements)
Task List/Information Sources
Use product, read existing documentation, write drafts, contact software developer if necessary
            calculator.gif (5039 bytes)
Schedule (Project Milestones)
6 June: Draft of Documentation Plan (this document)
17 June: Develop Template, Draft of Concepts Chapter
24 June: Draft of Procedures Chapter
1 July: Draft of Reference Chapter
8 July: Revisions, indexing, write usability testing scenario
15 July: Documentation Usability Test
22 July: Presentation of the Portfolio Piece to the technical communicators of EDP 314237
Selection of Tools
For screen captures: Hyperionics HyperSnap-DX 3.61
For text authoring: Microsoft FrontPage 2000
For conceptual diagrams: Visio Professional 5.0
Localization Plan
Verify that the document adhers to the guidelines of http://www.wordesign.com/localization/index.htm
Usability Test Plan
Request that one or more of the technical writers in EDP 314237 act as a subject that uses the document along with the software in a test scenario that includes a test facilitator and two observers. I will write the test scenario after I have drafted the procedures chapter.
Maintenance Plan
I will update if later versions of the software include features of interest to technical communicators, or if my increasingly usability awareness leads me to a better way to organize or present the technical material.
Preliminary Table of Contents
Title
Contents [1 page]
Preface (purpose/organization, audience definition, conventions) [1 page]
Concepts of Image Capture and Image Manipulation [3 pages]
    image formats (authoring tools and delivery medium)
    image resolution (consistent sizing versus showing only points of interest)
How to Capture and Manipulate Images [6 pages]
    capture (window, region, include/exclude cursor)
    manipulate (crop, scale, convert)
Reference Material for Using HyperSnap [2 pages]
    keyboard shortcuts
    list of resources on image formats
Index [1 page]
Estimated total page count
12 pages
Estimated number of graphics
12 gifs
Estimated hours
3.4 hours per page * 12 pages = 40.8 hours
Dependencies
This documentation project is independent of other software or documentation developments.
Risks
Hardware unreliability
Running out of disk space to store the growing document
Shortage of human resources to develop the document
Shortage of human resource to review and/or test the usability of the document